


Ignite and Roar

by LuxAndLight



Category: EXO (Band), K-pop
Genre: A little bit of angst, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Continuation, Dragons, Fluff, M/M, Maybe - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-01
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:34:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 21,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23856160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuxAndLight/pseuds/LuxAndLight
Summary: Minseok thought his journey of a lifetime had ended when he found his other half, but it had only just begun.~❄️~Jongdae thought he had left his past behind, but he's walking right back into the dragon's den.~⚡~A nationwide exploration isn't what they had in mind, but there was no backing out now. Not when the fate of Elyxion and dragonkind rest in their hands.
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol, Do Kyungsoo | D.O/Kim Jongin | Kai, Kim Jongdae | Chen/Kim Minseok | Xiumin, Kim Junmyeon | Suho/Zhang Yi Xing | Lay
Comments: 30
Kudos: 42





	1. Other Side of the Spectrum

**Author's Note:**

> This is a continuation of "Flames and Dragons", another fic I made for SnowSparkFest! Most of the mechanics of this world are written there so give it a read if you want to understand what the heck is going on here!
> 
> Massive thanks to HunnieDae for blessing me with the prompt that took my breath away when I first read it!
> 
> And without further ado, enjoy! <3

“He’s here! After him!”

Jongdae barely registered the voices shouting over the pounding of his head as he hastened his sprint through the trees and overhanging branches, the black cloak on his back soaking up the rain pelting his figure and making it harder to run. Yet, he couldn’t afford to leave any evidence behind, for the guards’ mutts would have identified his scent even amidst this torrential downpour.

He would have executed his plan successfully if it weren’t for that off-duty guard that stumbled upon the opening he made in the wall of the vault. Nonetheless, he got out unscathed, and all that’s left was shaking the guards off his tail.

Tightly clutching the drawstring bag in his hands, he would be damned if he managed to lose its precious contents after all the effort he put into getting it. Apparently, the fortified vault room of the palace of Exordium was not that fortified at all. Well, not for someone as sly as Jongdae anyway. It was like he knew the layout of the palace like the back of his hand, which he did.

But unfortunately, his slyness did not come with prolonged stamina. Jongdae was lean and fit for an average person, but he could not run for very long, much less twist and turn to avoid running into a bush or tree root. The heavy rainfall also didn’t help his case as it obscured his eyesight and weighed him down by drenching his clothes. He had to lose his pursuers fast, and as he picked up the faint growling of the guard dogs added to the mix of angry voices, he knew he did not have long before they caught up to him.

But lady luck had taken his side as he began taking note of the receding grass and ferns and the occasional cobblestone embedded on the ground. Such change can only account for one thing: a path leading to civilization. He can lose the company in a village nearby!

Taking a sharp turn to the left of a rather large oak tree, Jongdae accelerated when he soon found an ominous building looming in the distance that he can use as a hidden sanctuary. Within mere minutes, the male had exited the forest and came face-to-face with a rather large but decrepit structure. Jongdae took a few seconds to take it all in as he was trying to catch his breath.

The place was twice as high as the trees surrounding it, looking as if it was standing proudly even with its ruined state. With a quick flash of lightning, Jongdae could see the moss and vines littering the staircase leading up to the arch that led to the inside. It looked creepy enough for Jongdae to rethink his decision of trespassing inside the place, but with the guards’ shouts coming dangerously closer, it was either the wrath of a ghost or the devils themselves.

Taking a deep breath, he took a step forward and broke into a sprint.

The rain was still relentlessly pouring as Jongdae climbed up the slippery stone steps, his leather boots trying their best to cling onto what little friction was left for him not to slip and tumble down right into his perpetrators. But as he was about to enter the arch, a vine had caught his foot and sent him spiraling downwards with no time for his arms to break his fall. He managed to twist his body to the side so that his precious cargo would stay completely safe, but his head took the brunt of the impact, his vision darkening for a moment as he rolled pitifully into the building.

Jongdae was too busy seeing stars on the ceiling that he hardly felt the pair of hands hoisting him up by his soaking wolfskin cloak. The man then pulled him behind one of the swaying pillars with one arm supporting his sagging figure and the other clamping his mouth shut.

Jongdae felt panic beginning to swell in his already swelling head, not because of the disadvantageous position he was currently in, but because of the empty feeling of his hands grasping on nothing but air.

The bag!

He weakly struggled against the mystery person’s hold as the latter was trying to say something to him that couldn’t quite reach his cloudy mind just yet. His squirming intensified the more frantic he became, trying to free himself from his potential perpetrator’s grip when a soft whistle blew past his ear, and the air had shifted on his side.

_Grr…_

Jongdae quickly stopped his actions as this… _creature_ slinked into view. He knew about them in the storybooks he would sneak into his room from his father’s library, the small candlelight on the side of his desk as the only source of light as he skimmed through the pages of every book he was able to put his hands on. He would trail his fingers on the inked parchment, imagining what the spines and ridges felt like beneath his lithe digits. But never in the now-eighteen years of his life would he had ever thought of meeting one.

 _“Dragons. That’s what we call those wicked beasts.”_ His father once said to him, “They are creatures from another world that invade Elyxion and lead stupid people to strangers they haven’t met before, calling them “Soulmates”.”

_“That’s why we banned them from this kingdom, Jongdae. Having a dragon means you have power, but having a Soulmate means you are weak.”_

The lizard-like figure was still a bit hazy in Jongdae’s point of view. Nevertheless, he could see the silvery wings folded against its scaly back, its spine displaying rows of impressive golden spikes that went up to its neck and head before it had split into two, much thicker spikes that made up its horns. Its golden eyes were staring at Jongdae intently as it craned its neck forward and—what’s that hanging between its sharp teeth…?

“My bag!” Jongdae cried out, only barely muffled by the mystery man’s hand

“Are you even listening to me?” Mystery man huffed out, “Exordian guards are here because of you. Now, if you don’t want to get caught, stay still and be _quiet.”_

Now that Jongdae’s senses were coming back to him, he could hear the shouts and barks nearing where he was, but when a loud “ _Halt!”_ echoed within the structure, they were ultimately silenced, the command even making the rainfall simmer down into a drizzle.

“A thief infiltrated the palace of his Majesty,” a voice, presumably the head guard, began, “We chased the filthy rat all the way here, so we hereby declare a search in the name of the king.”

“He may be your king, but he’s not ours.” The deep voice growled, “We do not have what you seek. Leave now before your wretched beliefs taint this sacred place.”

“Sacred? Ha! You hardly have any followers left after his majesty banned the notion of having soulmates and those vile lizards.” The guard spat, “Now move, weak Templar, before we make you.”

“Weak?”

“Uh, oh.” Mystery man whispered, almost giggling, “Yeollie’s mad.”

A chilling snarl bounced off the walls of the building, getting startled gasps from the soldiers and whines from the dogs. Jongdae wasn’t sure if his eyesight was betraying him, but the area started to light up slowly, a slight orange sheen bouncing off of the stone walls. The restrained boy also picked up the change in temperature.

“Unlike you, I have love to fuel my flame,” ‘Yeollie’ chuckled, “And what’s stronger than a soul on fire?”

A deafening roar sounded after the man’s monologue, making Jongdae press his hands against his ears to stop the noise from heightening his pounding headache. But it was the sudden heatwave that was too much for him to handle. Collapsing against the man, Jongdae tried to blink away the black spots from his vision to no avail. The last thing he saw was the dragon’s golden orbs shining with concern as darkness had taken the rest of his consciousness.
    
    
     _
     | |
     ( 🔥 )
       |=|-+
      [___] 

When Jongdae came to with a killer headache and a stifled groan, he instinctively reached out to the side where a glass of water was sitting on his bedside table in his room, only to pull back suddenly when he trailed his fingers on something too hot to be glass.

Cracking his eyes open, the memories of his great escape struck his mind as soon as his vision settled on the dragon that seemed to be too close for comfort. Unable to contain his yell, Jongdae blindly scrambled away from the red beast that ended up in him falling off the bed and onto the ground. Moments later, he heard the sound of shoes slapping on the stone floor as well as bickering voices.

“I told you we should have stayed with him!”

“Loey’s with him! My partner’s the sweetest dragon we know!”

“He’s an Exordian, dumbass! He’s never _seen_ a dragon before!”

The door burst open just as the voices came to a halt. From Jongdae’s position, he can see the red dragon retreating into the arms of a tall man with hair that matched the dragon’s scarlet scales, craning its long neck easily to leave slobbery licks on the man’s cheeks. The tall male just lets the dragon do his thing as he heartily scratches under the creature’s jaw, prompting the lizard to wag his fire-lit tail around happily.

The longer Jongdae looks at the odd spectacle before him, the more they resemble an owner and his happy, oversized dog. Who would’ve thought that the people of Exordium see these beasts as soulless creatures that blindly follow their master’s bidding? Maybe the “Soulmates” concept was also misinterpreted. Then again, who in their right mind would fall in love with someone they just met?

“Hey buddy? You there?”

Jongdae blinked a couple of times before he stared at the smiling white-haired male in front of him. He gave a shy wave in return, not trusting the stability of his voice just yet. If it were only the two of them, he must be the mystery man from before, based on his voice and stature anyway. His tone was a lot softer than the voice that spoke out against the guards.

“Y’know, you’d be a lot more comfortable sitting on the bed,” the man gave a boxy grin, “Then we’ll start with introductions.”

And that’s how Jongdae met Chanyeol and Baekhyun, the two Templar lovers from different towns. The former resides here in the center of Elyxion while the other is the Templar of the temple of the East, which is right beside Moonlight Valley. But ever since Exordium had created those bans on having dragons and soulmates, no person had ever entered the walls of the central temple.

“After I found out that Baekhyun was my soulmate, I just moved in with him there,” Chanyeol recapped, “We just came back yesterday to pay a visit here and see if anyone from the villages also wanted to.”

“We certainly didn’t expect Exordian guards to show up at the entrance, though.” Baekhyun smirked, “But judging by the thing you stole, it must have been very hard to get.”

“Is it really yours?” Chanyeol whispered, “Rumor has it that the previous king had them destroyed. But now you have one of them here, at this very temple.”

Panic flared inside Jongdae, but he kept himself calm, “Technically, it is. It was my uncle’s …before the late king banned them and took them away. It still has his…his initials.”

“Well, there’s only one way we can confirm it truly is yours.” Baekhyun’s smile only grew, “Tell me, when is your coming of age?”

“I can’t believe today’s your birthday and you didn’t tell us!”

“Be quiet! It’s called a secret tunnel for a reason, you dolt!”

Jongdae stifled a giggle when Baekhyun had landed a slap on the giant’s arm, making the other whine and retaliate. As soon as the two Templars discovered that today was his cross to maturity, they had insisted on taking him to a nearby place called Univ Village to celebrate.

After putting his thoroughly-dried wolfskin cloak back on and entrusting the temple in the dragons’ hands, err claws, they had set off into a large tunnel underground to avoid running into the Exordian guards who were most probably camping outside.

“Call us if it lights up!” was Baekhyun’s last order before they descended into the dark underpass.

Univ Village was the complete opposite of the city held within the walls of Exordium. In contrast to the dark and sophisticated feel of the streets of the kingdom, the village was simple yet lively, even if the dark clouds above had dampened the mood a little bit.

Children are running happily in the streets, weaving past the adults and each other in an exciting game of tag. Stalls of all sizes were situated on both sides of the road, their goods and wares on display. Even the people that walked around were wearing articles of clothing in different colors! That would never pass in Exordium. Anyone caught wearing colored garments other than the royal family was never seen walking the streets again.

Jongdae knew that he was out of the kingdom’s confines, but he couldn’t help but shiver at Exordium’s harsh laws. He wonders if other places in Elyxion have rulers who were as cruel and heartless as the king, but it seemed like Univ Village isn’t as crazy with control as its neighboring kingdom was.

Pushing the horrid memory to the back of his mind, he focused on Baekhyun’s excited tugs on his arm, listening to others describe different food and customs that he didn’t even know existed.

“And here’s where they sell Elyxion’s sweetest berries!” Baekhyun announced proudly before turning to the elderly woman behind the stall of colorful fruits, “Hi Mama!”

“If it isn’t my favorite nephews!” Mama smiled, turning to squint at Jongdae, “And who is this, Baekkie?”

Jongdae laughed nervously, “I’m Jongdae, ma’am.”

“Bah! Don’t call me that. Mama is fine for me.” The elderly woman leaned closer to get a good look at him, “You sure look familiar. Have we met before?”

“Mama, you’ve traveled to every corner of Elyxion! Surely must have seen a fleeting glimpse of a face that looks like his.” Baekhyun laughed before giving a charming smile, “But I’m sure you’ve never seen a face as handsome as mine, right?”

Mama hummed, “Pass.”

Chanyeol wheezed loudly as he excessively clapped his hands together. Jongdae swore the man had tears in his eyes from how hard he was laughing. Baekhyun, on the other hand, dimmed considerably and sulked by his side, whining dramatically at the unfairness of it all.

“Oh, don’t be like that, I’m only teasing.” Mama giggled as she lifted a wooden bowl full of berries, “The usual, I presume?”

After they paid and went around town one more time, they stopped by the square to end the day by eating the delicious snacks they bought. This trip was the most fun Jongdae had experienced in his entire life, and this was only a small part of Elyxion! Who knows what else he’ll discover in other places and kingdoms? The thought of what he can find if he were to explore the lands excites him even more.

But as the minutes rolled by, the excitement turned into anxiousness. Jongdae found himself staring at the sun’s slowly retreating form over the horizon. If what Baekhyun had said was true, then it would have lit up by now if it was his.

The Templar explained that, in order to connect the two worlds and call forth his dragon partner, then the corporeal essence of his and his soulmate’s soul, or his Flame, would be needed. And that’s why the object he stole from the Exordium vault plays an essential role in getting what he dreamed of having, for it was none other than the holder of his Flame: the lantern.

But going back to the main topic at hand, one of the dragons would have flown over to where they were by now if the lamp would have indeed held his so-called Flame. Dread pooled in his stomach as different thoughts flew in his head: what if he took the wrong one? What if it didn’t work? What if—

“Stop, thief!”

The sudden shout pierced through the calm bustle of everyone around them, and Jongdae stood up in surprise, body tense and ready to make a break for it. Had the Exordian guards found them here? But before he can take another step, a body had suddenly collided with his, making them both topple over from the sheer force of the impact.

But this time, Jongdae had, fortunately, broke his fall with his outstretched arms, only garnering a few scratches on his palms than another nasty concussion. Looking up, the other person wasn’t faring as well as him. The lean male was cradling his head as he tried to pick up whatever herbs were scattered on the floor but was ultimately stopped when a man caught up to him and grabbed him by the hair, eliciting a cry from the boy.

“You’re a disgrace like your mother, freak!” the burly man, presumably the store owner, spat, “I ought to surrender you to the Exordians. They know what to do to scumbags like you!”

But as he started to drag the boy away, Jongdae suddenly shot out his hand, “W-wait!”

The man’s eyes narrowed as he glanced back at him, “What? I don’t have all day.”

Suddenly, Jongdae was put on the spot. He had reacted without a proper plan. But seeing the boy in such a helpless position had placed his instincts first without consulting his rational side. Luckily for him and his blank mind, Baekhyun broke out of his shocked state and had taken the reins.

“What he meant to say was we’ll pay for what the boy had stolen.” He reached for the side of his belt and grabbed a small pouch, glancing at the man that stared incredulously at him, “Well? How much is it all?”

By the end of the transaction, the crowd had already dispersed, and the man shot the sniffling boy one last dirty glare before leaving the scene. Gathering the herbs scattered on the ground as well as the slab of meat they bartered from one stall, Jongdae placed them all inside a makeshift cloth bag before offering it to the boy.

The lanky male didn’t seem to notice his actions, or if he did, he was too embarrassed to take it. As thunder rumbled in the distance, an idea sparked in Jongdae’s mind. Removing the cloak from his neck, he then threw it on the boy’s back and clipped it on when the boy had looked up in questioning shock.

“It’s going to rain soon. Might as well keep warm as you’re going home.” Jongdae gave a small smile, extending the back towards him once again, “What’s your name?”

The boy only stared up at him before he wordlessly took the bag with calloused fingers and made a run for it, never once turning back. Jongdae deflated at his departure, but he wasn’t regretting giving the cloak to the boy. The bony male really looked like he needed it more than he did. A large hand clamped on his shoulder and prevented him from delving into the thought further.

“That was Sehun, the witch’s son.” Chanyeol mentioned, “He seldom goes to this village since they already have food and water from the river.”

“Something must have happened to his mother, then,” Baekhyun added solemnly, watching as the retreating back disappeared into the crowd

Just then, a roar broke through the conversation and forced them (as well as a few passersby) to look up. Jongdae could clearly see a silver dragon flying in circles like a vulture would do to its prey before disappearing into the smoke from the blue flames it puffed out, confusing everyone that witnessed that little spectacle except for Chanyeol and Baekhyun.

“That’s our cue!” Baekhyun cried out with glee, “Bacon said we need to go!”

Chanyeol chuckled as he pulled a still-awestruck Jongdae along, mumbling something in the lines of _light manipulation_ as if it was the key to the myriad of questions he had on his mind. But as they entered the dark tunnel, the excitement from before resurfaced and washed away all the doubts he had. This was it.

He was getting his _dragon._
    
    
     _
     | |
     ( 🔥 )
       |=|-+
      [___] 

Telltale sounds of thunder booming from above meant that the downpour had already started, yet the gloomy weather didn’t do anything to dampen the ecstatic mood of the boy. Plans were already beginning to form in his mind on where he wants to go next. He read that the kingdom of Exoluxion was great for winter. What about Exodus? It was in the North, so he was going to pass on that frigid kingdom. How about—?

He climbs out of the tunnel, expecting for the dragon to just appear out of nowhere now that he was inside the sacred place, yet…there was nothing. Jongdae pursed his lips and turned the corner, and that’s when the scarlet dragon, Loey, bounded happily towards him with something dangling from its jaw. Was that…?

Swaying slightly from the dragon’s hold was a silver Moroccan lantern, his uncle’s lamp, and the precious object that he stole from the guarded vault of Exordium. Taking it from Loey with a grateful nod, Jongdae brushed his thumb over the intricate designs on the metal and even the glass. But it’s the small fire swaying inside that caught his undivided attention.

“That’s your Flame.” Chanyeol explained, “One color represents your soul, and the other embodies the soul of your other half. Two entities as a whole.”

Squinting at the inside of the lantern, Jongdae can make out the hues of cyan and yellow twirling around each other happily. One wasn’t overtaking the other, and they moved as if they were one, both colors shining brighter the more Jongdae paid attention to them.

“Let’s get this ritual started!” Baekhyun giggled, “Channie, do the honors, please.”

Clearing his throat, Chanyeol gave a small elfish smile to Jongdae, extending his hand to take the lantern. Jongdae took one last glance at the Flame before passing it over to the taller, who held it with careful hands as he strode over to a shallow circular pool that was void of any fluid. Gently placing the case in the center, he gestured for Jongdae to stand a few steps away from the edge.

“This is it, Jongdae.” Chanyeol began, standing right beside the border of the circle, “Another chapter of your life is about to begin. It’s time for two ha—”

“Get on with it!” Baekhyun snaps in impatience, “born out of this very Flame will be your partner, yadda-yadda, you and your soulmate will soon meet. Are you ready?”

Chanyeol sighed at his soulmate’s interruption, but still managed to smile at Jongdae, “Are you?”

With his nod, Chanyeol’s grin widened before the giant snapped his fingers. A roar resonated within the temple before a ball of fire shot out of the crimson dragon and engulfed the silver lantern. Before Jongdae could digest what had happened, the explosion started to morph into a cylindrical twister that rose to the ceiling, the twin hues twisting and turning with each other in an ethereal dance.

Soon, Jongdae started to see bits of shadows that began to form at the base of the tornado, connecting like pieces of a puzzle and creating a dark silhouette amidst the bright colors of cyan and yellow. Jongdae gasped as he narrowed his eyes to identify to blurry figure, but the shadowy creature suddenly snapped its head towards his direction before the tornado suddenly collapsed, the fire absorbing into the pool until there was nothing left except-

“My dragon,” Jongdae mumbled, mouth open in disbelief as the creature stared at him with icy-blue orbs

“Born in the forgotten temple of the jade forest, we welcome the dragon of frost, Xiumin!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAHHH A big congratulations to Jongdae!!! April really is EXO's Month now that the precious flower's birthday is added to the mix! 
> 
> Feedback is always appreciated! Update schedules may vary since we'll be having our online classes next month, but I'll try to post every Friday of the week! 
> 
> Stay safe out there!


	2. Take Flight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The dragons' size in this world differs based on their species, but in Jongdae and Minseok's case, both their partners are about the size of an average horse (think of Toothless from HTTYD). 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy reading my attempt at fluff!

Never had Minseok felt utterly out of his element, yet so welcome to the change.

When the woodcutter woke up to screaming, he sat up from the blanket they laid upon the night before and surveyed the area with half-awake eyes, trying to find out the source of the commotion. Memories of meeting his soulmate and his dragon resurfaced and, though his sleep-induced mind initially thought of it as a dream, the scene laid in front of him seemed to prove otherwise.

At first, Minseok had thought that no one could compare to Chen’s eccentric personality, or enjoy being the receiving end of the flying lizard’s mischievous tricks for that matter. But here was Jongdae, laughing his lungs out at the scurrying dragon that had—was that his boot?

Squinting at the blue dragon that had just run past him, followed by his one-shoe-less soulmate, he can confirm that it is, in fact, Jongdae’s footwear. Stopping the sleepy giggle from bubbling up his throat, he was about to get up to help the poor man, but a sharp tug on his sleeve had made him lose his balance, pulling him towards something that looked like a strange white blur from the corner of his eye.

Colliding softly into smooth and slightly cold scales, Minseok immediately knew who he was pulled into before the icicle-covered head of the culprit popped into his view, the corner of the latter’s lips upturned in what seemed like a grin. Xiumin let out a light rumble from his chest before wrapping a wing over Minseok’s small figure, making the latter feel like he was back in the snowy mountains of Exodus with the cold air surrounding him.

Speaking of the northern kingdom, Minseok wonders what has happened to his small village for the past few months after he had left. How was Junmyeon doing? It was the beginning of the winter season, so he could just picture the huts and evergreen trees lined with the white flurry, but after the realization of missing the snowfall for the first time brought a melancholy feeling to the male. He hadn’t realized how much he’d miss something as simple as that until it’s...gone.

As he leaned further into the dragon’s chilly body, the dragon turned his head to the opposite side of where Minseok was before craning his neck back, the drawstrings of a small pouch held between his teeth. Minseok watched curiously as the dragon dropped the small bag on his lap before staring expectantly at the human.

“Okay…? What’s this, Xiu?” Minseok muttered, hands carefully opening the pouch before his eyes lit up at its contents, “Oh! Berries!”

Minseok placed a few of the small orbs on his hand before offering it to Xiumin, to which the dragon happily dug into the sweet treats. With his other hand, the woodcutter popped one in his mouth and hummed at the sweetness the berry had to offer. A memory replayed in his mind of his father bringing back the same sugary drupes every time he returned from his journey around Elyxion, well, up until his last exploration before he stayed in Exodus for good. He couldn’t quite remember what his paternal figure’s job exactly was, but it had something to do with traveling around the lands, that’s for sure. A merchant maybe?

“Hey! No fair!”

Looking at where the voice came from, Minseok was torn on laughing out loud or cooing at his suffering soulmate. A playful Chen had decided to hover mere inches away from the grabbing hands of a pouting Jongdae, teasing the poor boy by lowering his boot just out of his reach. But it seemed like Jongdae heard his chuckle anyway since he had snapped his head towards them and deepened his pout.

“Minnie!” He whined, stomping his shoed foot softly, “Stop laughing and help me!”

Minseok, on the other hand, ignored the blush creeping up in his cheeks from the nickname and covered it up by laughing even more, barely hearing how his dragon gave his own rendition of a laugh before going back to teasing his partner’s soulmate.

Seeing that his soulmate was a lost cause, Jongdae turned to his partner, “Xiuxiu! Help me out? Please?”

At first, the dragon didn’t seem interested, but then Xiumin had turned to Chen and gave a small warning growl. The thunder dragon immediately looked at the other with a rapt stare before he stopped hovering and almost crushed Jongdae with his large figure as he quickly lowered himself to the floor. Dropping the boot on the ground, he lumbered towards Xiumin with a happy hum, lightning encircling his horns, before cowering back at the icy stare the white-scaled lizard had as he hissed at the prankster. Minseok didn't really understand how their language works, but he was sure the frost dragon said something in the lines of _“Apologize to him”._

Minseok could only watch in awe as his partner dimmed his light and shuffled towards Jongdae with no questions asked, moving his gaze towards Xiumin who softened his eyes once Chen turned his back, peering at the other with a smitten look. For the very brief time that they acquainted themselves with each other, Minseok had already noticed that Xiumin liked to put up a front as the cold-hearted dragon that he made himself to be. However, in all actuality, he was still a great beast that yearns for love. Thankfully, Chen wasn’t the type to quit so easily.

Just as Jongdae had successfully fitted his boot back in its place and was currently frowning at the small teeth marks marring the edges, he noticed the culprit creeping slowly towards him once again. His scowl was fighting to stay in place as he tried to resist the urge to hug the meek-looking dragon standing in front of him, wings tucked in tightly and tail wrapped around his sizeable form.

“What do you want?”

The man had tried his best to, at least, _look_ resentful at the dragon, but one soft _rrrp_ and ‘ _is that a pout?!’_ later, Chen was back to his energetic self with a sulking Jongdae by his side, the latter’s angry façade lasting for a whopping…three seconds.

Fortunately for him and his sanity, Xiumin had removed himself from Minseok’s side and reigned in the thunder dragon before he could cause another bout of havoc. Biting the end of Chen’s tail playfully, Xiumin chirped at the dumbfounded lizard before taking off, leaving the other to chase after him to return the favor. Minseok had already missed the cold air emanating from the frost dragon once he left his side, but the heat coming from his soulmate was a better substitute.

“Your dragon’s a jerk,” Jongdae muttered, once again trying (and failing) to sound upset, “But maybe you are too _since you didn’t help me!”_

“Oh Dae,” Minseok cooed, “At least I’m your jerk~”

A beat of silence passed before a loud _yah!_ followed by peals of laughter resonated from their place in the field. Jongdae was jokingly hitting the elder's arms for his cheesy joke as Minseok only laughed harder at the sight of Jongdae’s unamused frown. But contrary to his actions, the latter could feel himself blushing at his comment.

“Don’t say things that!” Jongdae whined, hiding his heating face in his hands, “You said you’re older than me, right?! Why are you like this?”

“I’ve still got my charms.” Minseok winked, “You better get used to me, Dae-ya.”

Jongdae huffed but still shifted closer to the smaller male, hand wrapping around Minseok’s with a content sigh. Gazing into the bright blue sky, they could see Chen gliding and diving through the morning mist and the occasional dragons that passed through while Xiumin seemed to blend in with the clouds thanks to his ivory scales. They were playing the same game Xiumin started a while ago, with Chen going in and around the few clouds dotting the sky in an attempt to get away from the snapping jaws of the other. Yet the more they progress, the more in-sync their twists and turns were, almost as if they were one; two dragons, but one entity, just like the Flame.

“What happens next?”

Jongdae snapped out of his thoughts before looking at his soulmate with confusion. Minseok sheepishly smiled as he toyed with the golden ring placed on Jongdae’s index, watching it gleam in the morning light like the shiny scales of their partners.

“I mean, we’ve already found each other. We might as well have our happily ever after,” Minseok chuckled, “Maybe settle down in a house next to the sea and adopt a cat.”

“We already have Xiumin.” Jongdae deadpanned, but a hint of a smile graced his lips as he gave it a thought, “We could, you know, settle down and all that. But why now? We have the opportunity of exploring Elyxion together. Make memories of a lifetime!”

“I don’t know…” Minseok pursed his lips as he trailed off momentarily, weighing the pros and cons of the situation, “The riskiest decision I ever made was leaving Exodus to find my soulmate, and I’m not even sure if it was worth it.”

“Hey!”

A split-second of silence passed.

“You didn’t mean that…right?”

Minseok gave a gummy grin, “I was just teasing, love. You were worth every step I took to get here.”

Jongdae rolled his eyes fondly as he wrapped an arm around his soulmate in a side-hug; their sights still trained on their partners in the sky. The smile Minseok had slightly faltered as he recalled some snippets of his journey from the very beginning to where was now, thinking of all the times he had almost given up as the days of walking grew longer and longer.

“But at least I had some indication of where I was going, no matter how distracted the guide may have been.” A dull bellow coming from Chen sounded from the distance as if right on cue, making the pair giggle before Minseok continued his rambling, “Now, it would feel like I’m wandering around the world aimlessly. Where will we go first? Moonlight Cove? Black Pearl Pier? Exordium—"

“No!” Jongdae cut off, wincing slightly at his tone before taking a deep breath, “For one, we’re _not_ going to Exordium. That place _hates_ the concept of soulmates and dragons…well, their current rulers do. They banned everything that has to do with them.”

Prohibiting dragons from entering the compound is one thing, for Minseok had seen cities that are far too compact for their partners to roam the streets comfortably, but forbidding an entire nation from getting their Flame? Minseok could only imagine how many lives had come and gone without seeing their actual soulmate, all because of one king’s law that didn’t even make sense. His frown deepened at the thought as doubt clouded his mind, yet he chose to focus on a rather pleasant memory that was triggered by Jongdae’s statement.

“My father got my lantern from there.” He mumbled, “He always said that the lantern-maker there was very nice.”

“My uncle was the lantern-maker of Exordium!” Jongdae’s eyes lit up, “He really is the greatest! Sometimes, he would let me tinker around with his tools and metal parts every time I came to visit.”

“Small world, ain’t it? Who would’ve known they’d meet before we do?” Minseok chuckled, “What’s your uncle doing now? Well, now that it’s banned and all.”

Suddenly, the beaming smile was gone, and Jongdae’s eyes dulled, leading Minseok to think he overstepped. Tightly grasping the younger’s hand in his for comfort, Minseok turned towards the other, an apology sitting readily on the tip of his tongue, but Jongdae stopped his lover by giving a small squeeze in return.

“It’s …it’s fine. It’s all in the past, after all,” Jongdae gave a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes at first, but his expression quickly turned into one of steely determination, “We can’t change the paths that we have walked upon, but we can choose where to go next.”

“And where will that be?” Minseok found himself asking, face reddening when Jongdae chuckled heartily

“I don’t know,” the blonde-haired male shrugged, a Cheshire smile revealing itself when Minseok slapped his arm in response, “It wouldn’t matter though, in the grand scheme of things.”

Uncertainty still lingered in Minseok’s nerves, yet Jongdae had easily blown them away as he brushed his thumb on the woodcutter’s knuckles, keeping him grounded to reality. Now wasn’t the time for his thoughts to take over, not when his soulmate was here talking him through it.

“It wouldn’t matter where we’ll go, as long as we’re together,” the younger looked at Minseok with shining eyes, “Our dragons aren’t the only ones who can spread their wings.”

It was so easy to get lost in Jongdae’s gaze, but in his brown orbs only held one thing: certainty. As that trait continued to glow in his soulmate’s stare, Minseok had no reason to be so hesitant if that spark will be their guide. With fingers tightening on their hold on the other, Minseok nodded firmly.

“Let’s take flight.”
    
    
    _|̿ |_
    (______)
    |     |
    |  🔥  |
    |__N__|
     [______] 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I _may_ have spent a few hours making dozens of those cute little lantern things, but it was worth it! Should I limit them only as dividers or is it fine having them at the end of the chapters? Please let me know!


	3. Trust?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Online classes just started for us, unfortunately. So here's an early update to celebrate this sad occasion!

“I think we should call it a day, Min.”

“Nonsense! You just need to stop being so tense.”

“Tell that to the stubborn snapper there.”

Jongdae released an annoyed huff as he slumped down onto the grass, eyeing the oak tree where his partner was hiding behind, his ice-tipped tail just barely poking out from the side. Glancing back to the sky that was filled with dragons and their partners, Jongdae wished that Xiumin would drop his attitude and learn to trust him for once. He thought that the dragon would when they finally found his other half, but not even a day after, Xiumin suddenly became distant, giving more pointed looks than following his partner's requests.

Minseok and Chen shared a look before parting way to talk to their other halves. These past few months were nothing but a journey of new discoveries for the small group, with the dragons (mostly Chen) taking the lead. One village led to the next, then another, and the cycle continues, but it was a routine that the soulmates weren’t tired of just yet.

Some of the days consisted of tirelessly walking down a beaten path, but the dragons like to stray off of it more often than not, and that’s where most of their mini-adventures (and problems) start.

Like the time when they discovered a small crystal cave behind Angel Falls thanks to Chen accidentally knocking Minseok over to avoid the watery mist from the small waterfall. Apparently, dragons who are not water-based have a strong dislike to all bodies of water, but even Xiumin was still reluctant to get their claws wet. A few minutes of garbled shouting and barely hidden laughter later, Minseok swum through the cascading water and came upon the unseen beauty. He traveled back outside to successfully pull a concerned Jongdae into the water before sharing the marvellous sight of the crystals that shined like stars in the night sky.

Or when they arrived in a fairly large town to rest in an inn with their partners, only to be surrounded by people who were scouting for breathtaking dragons to be part of their show, whatever that means. They all had their eyes in Xiumin in particular, but once they felt the hairs on their arms rising up and heard Chen’s warning growl, they hightailed it as quickly as possible, giving a rather amusing sight to the two humans as the thunder dragon stuck by the other’s side for the entire night.

All those different roads led to different experiences and all of those explorations has led them to where they were now. But it was only several months later that they uncovered a shocking revelation in a small municipality near the edge of Elyxion. Multiple travelers had suggested for this place to be their next destination, and though they did expect to find something worthwhile, they didn’t expect for it to be this shocking.

As soon as the forest cleared and the town came into view, the sight of humans flying on their dragons did too. Half a dozen of these great beasts seems to take off every now and then, but the fact that the people were actually sky high with their partners was a concept that both of them can’t instantly wrap their heads around. Before they enter the town, a man had stopped by and greet them.

“Welcome! Glad to see new faces ‘round here” the ranger said, shaking both of their hands enthusiastically, “Though I’m a bit surprised you weren’t flying your way to this place.”

“We, uh,” Jongdae cleared his throat, “We both didn’t know we could ride them.”

“Blasphemy!” The ranger cried out as he moved closer to inspect Chen’s inner wings, “Your dragons seem to be mature enough. I don’t see the reason for y’all not to ride them in the skies.”

That’s right.

Months later, they had discovered the art of _dragon-riding._

They thought of it to be fairly easy at first, but with a partner as hard-headed like Xiumin and a dragon as wild as Chen, the locals had suggested to take it slow for the first few weeks. A kind soul had helped them identify the right position to sit on their backs and where to cling on for dear life as soon as they took off. Most of the natives were strongly against the use of saddles, so the rangers had to teach their partners new tricks as well as other basic knowledge on the whole ordeal.

By the second week of their stay in the town, Minseok can mount and ride a grounded Chen without falling over. Jongdae, on the other hand, wasn’t able to make any progress thanks to his very adamant partner, much to his displeasure. Xiumin was holding his ground against taking flight with anyone sitting on his back, and Jongdae had done everything to persuade him. From stern commands to berries and pleas, nothing seemed to work anymore. Just as he sat dejectedly on the grassy path of the clearing, Minseok settled beside the tired form of his soulmate and wrapped an arm around his waist.

“Give it time, love.” Minseok comforted, “Maybe Xiumin’s just scared of the new happenings. You’ve seen him freak out once he realized that can flatten his spines.”

Jongdae snorted as he recalled the memory. Two days ago, they have been taught that the dragons’ spines can be retracted or flattened on their backs to provide a much comfortable seat for the rider, much to their relief. Chen didn’t have any trouble with that since he had a pattern of minuscule bumps on his neck and spine instead of sharp spikes, but once Xiumin had figured out what they could do, he alarmedly spun in circles and nearly fell off the cliffside in his amazed confusion.

“You know, he reminds me so much of you,” Jongdae comments, shimmying closer to share the warmth more, “Xiumin’s stoic, silent, and he can intimidate others even with his…less than average stature.”

“Oh, so you’re saying I’m small?” Minseok fired back, “Chen and you aren’t that too far off, then! My dragon may be the most annoying prankster but it’s not like I don't see you lacing those berries with bitter herb essence before giving it to Xiumin.”

Jongdae’s face suddenly matched the crimson shade of his fading shirt, “It’s not like you can call _that_ a prank. He still ate it without much of a reaction!”

“But you still did it,” The woodcutter pointed out, “No wonder Yixing called it a peculiar case. It’s like both of our partners were switched...”

“Yixing?”

“The Templar from the North.” Came the answer, “He said that he was going to take a look at it, but I haven’t gone back there since I left.”

Jongdae hummed in acknowledgement but he left the conversation at that, opting to focus of the darkening skies and the dragons that were soon leaving the vastness of the air and back to the safety of their homes. They heard a grunt from the side and watched as Chen successfully coaxed the frost dragon out of its hiding spot, the former slinking towards Minseok to receive a few scratches under the chin as a reward.

“I want to talk to Xiumin for a bit,” Jongdae finally said, “Perhaps I may be able to find the root of his stubbornness this way…if it’s okay with you, of course.”

“You don’t need to ask me, Dae. He’s your partner, first and foremost,” Minseok tutted, “Don’t be out for too long, okay?”

After a second of hesitation, he quickly landed a peck on Jongdae’s cheek before scurrying off to mount his dragon, who already lowered themselves to the ground. Chen turned around and gave a cheeky _mrrrp_ , ignoring Minseok's requests of just leaving the scene, before swiftly lumbering on the path back to the town and out of sight, leaving a red-faced human in the company of his dragon partner.

Jongdae was still rooted to his spot until a brief puff of air broke through the uncanny silence. Turning towards the impassive lizard, Jongdae sighed and slowly moved forward until he was right in front of Xiumin. Taking their head between his hands, he gazed at the blue orbs staring back at him.

“What will I have to do to earn your favor, Xiu?” he sighed, “I’ve already met my soulmate, just like you wanted me to. What more do you want?”

The dragon blinked twice in response before he removed itself from his hold and backed away for a few steps, laying down on its belly without taking his eyes off of the human. Jongdae exhaled through his nose and pushed down his annoyance for the frost dragon, turning away from him instead. He knew that it was stupid to get angry at Xiumin's answer, or the lack thereof, but his attitude and secrecy was starting to get to the poor man.

“Of course, he won’t speak! He’s just a dragon, for crying out loud!” He grumbled to himself, kicking a stray rock to channel his anger away, “After all this time I spent with him, he still won’t trust me-”

A growl sounded from behind, startling Jongdae out of his ranting before he turned to face the maker of the noise. All animosity he had seemed to disappear when a glaring Xiumin had greeted him, a chill shooting up his spine in its wake, but upon close inspection, his partner was narrowing their eyes to whatever was _behind_ him. He was thankful that the great beast wasn't directing his cold gaze towards him, but the fear was then placed on the realization of having _something_ at his rear.

“Xiumin? What’s wrong?” Jongdae had tried to ask, but at this point, talking to Xiumin was like talking to a statue 

A few moments later, a deep rumbling sound and another short growl was Xiumin’s answer before he stood up and starting walking through the trees, leaving a clueless Jongdae to catch up with his pace before he was left behind. Setting a nervous hand on the dragon’s folded wing, Jongdae followed his partner’s twists and turns around the thickets and trees before his eyes finally caught a small light shining in the distance. What was that?

Looking around the area, it wasn’t one that the human had recognized so it was unlikely to be something from the town, nor can it be one of the ranger stations surrounding the municipality since the light was just too close to the ground to be the station’s beacon. Jongdae anxiously bit his lip as Xiumin’s stride slowed to an amble as they started to get closer to the unfamiliar light that moved in the darkness.

Once they picked up the faint voices conversing, Xiumin lowered himself more towards the ground before Jongdae followed, crouching beneath the ferns and bushes as to not alert whoever was out here in the dead of night. Jongdae started to recognize the dancing light as a torch just as the voices were more understandable. Sharing a look with his partner, they began to strain their hearing as to listen to what was being said.

“…I’m saying that this boy’s the key to unlimited riches!”

“How are you so sure? His dear father might have forgotten about this brat. He still has the other one.”

“Bah! The other one is dead _,_ Charles!”

“Missing.” Another voice replied, “The boy is still missing, Archie.”

“And what happens to people who’re missing for a year? They’re found rotting in the waterhole!”

The conversation dissolved into laughter as Jongdae exhaled shakily, the topic of the three men intriguing him yet hitting so close to home. People go missing every year, it couldn’t be him that they were talking about, right? It was too much of a coincidence to be true.

The blonde male was about to poke his head out of the wild shrubbery when sharp teeth clamped firmly onto his sleeve and tugged him back down. Jongdae gave a glare at the dragon that foiled his plan but Xiumin’s gaze was sharper, making the former avert his gaze with an annoyed huff. He tried to get out of his grip but Xiumin wouldn’t budge, only getting a silent growl in return.

Suddenly, the twisted laughter was disrupted by muffled shouts and the sound of something banging on wood. One of the men grumbled about something that was too quiet for Jongdae to hear before clinks of metal against metal was heard, a loud creak of an old door opening sounding after.

“You’re wrong! Both of you!” An _eerily_ familiar voice screeched out, “My brother’s tougher than the walls of Exordium. He is _not_ dead.”

“Quit your whining brat!” A voice, presumably Archie’s, spat, “Like he can survive the cruelty of Elyxion. He’d be six feet under before he can even reach his second week.”

“Yeah, and once we’re done with you…” the voice trailed off into a sinister whisper that was still audible to the human’s ears, “You’re next.”

Jongdae had enough.

Curiosity and fear took over his mind as he shook off Xiumin’s hold on his sleeve, ignoring the latter's quiet huffing in an attempt to keep him back. Shuffling closer, he craned his neck to take a glance at the situation. The torch served as the only source of light in the darkness, yet it had illuminated the two burly men clearly, one of them gripping the collar of the person whom he thought he’d never see again.

_"Brother?"_

The men suddenly tensed as silence fell around the area. Before he can duck under the safety of the undergrowth, all four pairs of eyes snapped towards him as he mentally slapped himself for speaking out loud. The man holding onto his elder brother gave a sinister smile before he shoved the poor male back into what Jongdae now recognize as a wooden carriage, placing the latch back in its place without turning away from him.

“Looks like we’ve got company.”
    
    
    _
    __(_)__
    /_______\
    |/   \|
    ) 🔥 (
    |__N__|
    /______\

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wooaaah, it's plot time! Y'know, I made it clear that Minseok's a woodcutter, but what is Jongdae? Hmm...


	4. Keeping Secrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If there's anyone out there who knows their shit in Physics, hit me up!
> 
> But anyway, enjoy!

Jongdae barely heard the warning roar Xiumin bellowed out before he ducked his head out of the way, the attacking fist colliding with his shoulder instead. Suppressing a hiss, Jongdae countered with a hit of his own that made its mark on his opponent’s throat, distracting him from blocking another jab that collided with his cheek.

The blonde man knew that he would have been more useful with a sword, having trained with it for most of his youth, but beggars can’t be choosers now. He was exceptionally fortunate he had disarmed the bandit and kicked away the dagger early on in the fight, or else this would have ended badly for him. Now he just has to play the waiting game until they finally realize they’re fighting a man and his dragon, which took longer than he expected, unfortunately.

Xiumin finally had enough with the two stupidly brave bandits poking uselessly at his tough scales with their weapons, the buffoons aiming at his protective pelt rather than his sensitive underbelly. At this point, they’re making it very clear that they came from a dragon-less place with their little to no knowledge on the beasts (Read: Exordium), but it definitely makes them easier to fight with the Xiumin by his side.

Letting out one last warning snarl, he tossed away the burly man who was clinging onto his neck before donkey-kicking the other one into a tree. Turning towards Jongdae’s opponent with an icy glare, the latter finally rethought his actions before backing away into a sprint, the other two following the suit as they spewed strings of curses into the night sky.

A lot of things were very wrong in that brief fight in the eyes of the young man, but there was one only one goal he was currently set on. Swiftly approaching the carriage, he unlatched the metal piece holding the door shut before it suddenly swung open, almost hitting Jongdae if it weren’t for Xiumin tugging him back by the back of his shirt. The shadows of the dark carriage obscured the figure very well, but he knew his brother’s slightly crooked posture well enough even if he was twenty poles away.

“Little Jong,” the figure gasped out, “Is…is that really you?”

“Hyung…?”

The two brothers were stunned into silence for what seemed to be an eternity before the eldest snapped out of his trance first, exiting his prison in two large strides to wrap his lanky arms around the small man in an embrace. Meanwhile, Jongdae’s mind was still reeling at the absurdity of it all to digest what was currently happening around him. Why was he here? How did he-

A deep growl suddenly echoed from his side, making the other pull away and take a step back, eyes fixated on the cyan orbs of his partner. Jongdae kept himself from rolling his eyes. Of course, his dragon would act hostile to his own partner’s brother. He couldn’t even fully trust Jongdae yet, let alone someone who’s, well, not him.

“Xiumin, no,” Jongdae scolds, pushing him away by his frigid horns, “This is my brother, Jongdeok.”

The man cast a doubtful look over to Xiumin, but he still gave a nervous wave in greeting. Unfortunately, the latter only narrowed his eyes into slits, making Jongdeok avert his gaze and take another step back for good measure. The tension in the area was starting to thicken, and Jongdae knew Xiumin was a few seconds away from launching himself at the other, so he took a step towards the dragon with his arms raised to stop it from happening.

“Xiumin.” Jongdae warned, “Stop that. It’s not nice to stare.”

A beat of silence passed before Xiumin thankfully relaxed his muscles and turned away at Jongdae’s request. However, his eyes still flitted occasionally at the two, distrust swimming in those icy orbs. Sighing in relief, Jongdae turned back to smile at his brother, but his lips curled downwards instead to mirror the frown plastered on the face of the elder, who seemed to be rooted in thought.

“After all this time, all the dangers I had to put up with.” Jongdeok muttered, “You were just…here...”

“Well, I—”

“And with that—that _beast_ , nonetheless!”

Jongdae’s scowl deepened at the exclamation. They were brought up in Exordium, so it was not a surprise to see his brother so afraid of Xiumin, but he couldn’t help but also feel offended at the hostile tone he was using. Taking a deep breath as not to let something as trivial as that irritate him, he tried to reason with the other.

“Please Hyung, let me explain-”

“Jongdae.” Jongdeok exhaled slowly, “We don’t have time to spare. How am I supposed to bring you back to Exordium now?”

“Bring me back?” Jongdae exclaimed incredulously, “I left that place for a reason, hyung! You’ve got to understand.”

“No, _you’ve_ got to understand, Jongdae.” The elder pressed, “Father has completely gone mad. You need to go back there and-”

“No!” Jongdae cried out, finally putting his foot down for once to stare defiantly at the black-haired man, “I’m not going back. Not now, not ever.”

Jongdeok was shocked by his outburst, yet he quickly collected himself before clearing his throat, “This isn’t a matter of _if_ you want to. The kingdom will suffer because of Father’s selfishness.”

“And why should I care?” Jongdae grumbled, clenching his fists to tame his anger

“You have to, lest I remind you of your duties?”

Jongdae grew silent, trying his best to take deep, calm breaths through his nostrils to tame the wildfire of rage coursing through his veins from the forbidden statement. After a year of running away, it seems like fate had caught up to him eventually.

“No, not anymore.” He hissed, “That Jongdae was murdered years ago, along with his uncle _._ ”

Jongdeok pursed his lips, a little hesitant to keep the conversation going now that _he_ was involved, but the elder paused for a moment before taking a different approach, “Please, little Jong. If you don’t want to go back, at least help me. Our father has been planning something vile…practically inhumane.”

“That’s your problem.” Jongdae spat, turning his back towards his brother. Call him a coward, but he was done with this conversation.

His life was perfect as it is, even if he was stuck with a little brat for a partner. He freed himself from the cruel clutches of Exordium and met his perfect Soulmate along the way. Nothing can stop him from waltzing away from that hell of a life again, not even his own brother. 

Crown Prince Jongdae was no more.

“Hear me out!” Jongdeok exclaimed, “They didn't destroy the lanterns, you yourself know that. They only kept them in the vault, right? Jongdae, listen to me!” The elder had planned for the reveal of the main topic to have as little fanfare as possible, but with Jongdae escaping once again, he knew he had no other choice

“Our father is going to use the dragons to take over Elyxion!”

Jongdae stopped mid-step, hand barely hovering over Xiumin’s folded wing, “What?”

_Finally,_ Jongdeok thought, heaving a sigh of relief, _Now you listen._

“Grandfather may have implemented the ban, but he entrusted father to execute the plan,” he explained, eyes gazing warily over the blonde male’s figure in case he makes a move to leave, “I overheard him talking to the Elite soldiers. They’re sending out troops to abduct the five Templars for them to summon the dragons at his command.”

“That’s not going to work.” Jongdae countered, whirling around to face the other once more, “They’ll need the Flame to connect the two worlds.”

“It’s been _years_ since they took the lanterns from our people.” Jongdeok scoffed, “Most of them are lit at this point. That’s probably the main reason why the abduction was only planned now after so long.”

The younger clenched his jaw, feeling uncertain of everything that was said, but knowing their father, he was always hungry for power. And with the great beasts by his side, he would most definitely achieve that goal. That’s what he hated most about his bloodline. Nothing will be able to stop them if they put their mind into it, even if they burn down the entire world in the process.

“Then why the fuck didn’t you intervene?” Jongdae snarled, “With me gone, you could have easily overthrown him and take the throne!”

“I’m the illegitimate child, remember?” Jongdeok ran his hand through his ebony hair, his patience slowly running thin at all the questions getting thrown at him, “In order for me to take the throne, I have to get rid of the current king and the heir. The moment Exordians realize that you aren’t dead, we’ll both be.”

The crown prince opened his mouth to retort, but much to his dismay, nothing came out. Everything Jongdeok was saying was the truth, and none of it will be able to help him avoid his fate any longer. He was pathetically backed up into a corner with no way out without paying a heavy price.

Jongdae felt his nails cutting through the skin of his palm from how tight his grip was, but the pain wasn’t enough to take his focus away from their current conflict. He began to curse at the skies as his frustration reached its boiling point, the outlet hurting no one but himself and his throat. He had trained himself to be calm even in the worst situations, but this, this is too much.

What had he done in the past life to receive all of this nonsense? All he wanted was to spend the rest of his life peacefully with Minseok by his side, for crying out loud! He didn’t want any of this bullshit wrecking the future he and his Soulmate wanted.

He desperately wanted to blame it on someone else, to take this burden and throw it to some fool before disappearing in the blink of an eye. But deep inside, he knew it was all his fault.

He knew he was the main reason why this happened; the entire nation of Elyxion was now in danger because of his selfishness. No matter how much he tried to deny it, he was fighting a losing battle with himself. If only he hadn’t been so self-centered to leave for his benefit. If only he had thought over what could have possibly been done to the lanterns. If only he had chosen to suck it up and accept his responsibilities for _once in his goddamn life_.

He could have been king by now and turned it all around.

“Jongdae!”

Suddenly, all his thoughts are silenced; all his demons sent back from the deepest depths of his mind, waiting readily to reveal themselves for another day. He was suddenly conscious of the arms warped around him, pressing him gently against a broad chest. His cheeks wet with tears, and his puffy eyes were watering as a few broken hiccups escaping past his lips.

“That’s it, little Jong. Take a deep breath, then let it all out.”

He slowly followed his brother’s instructions once he got his bearings, his hands scrambling up to grab at Jongdeok’s shirt before balling up the fabric in his fists, making it his anchor to reality. Every breath he took was shaky and uneven, but even Jongdeok’s soft voice coaxing him through it had done little to nothing in helping him stabilize. He needs to breathe. He needs-

Minseok.

Jongdae’s eyes widened as he remembered his Soulmate waiting for him back at the town, probably worrying his head off as each second ticks by with still no sight of him and Xiumin returning from their chat. He may have lived his past with grief and regret, but he hasn’t ruined this chapter of his life just yet. The sooner he gets this over with, the sooner he gets to be with the love of his life.

He pushed himself to repeat after Jongdeok’s breathing until he finally felt his chest stop constricting against his rib cage. His sobs quieted down into sniffles before the two brothers parted, the elder’s hands resting firmly on his shoulders to keep him grounded. Through the blurriness of his stinging eyes, he can see Jongdeok’s lips moving, and the words were ever-so-slowly registering into his mind.

“There you go, Dae.” Jongdeok grinned, ruffling the other’s hair playfully before he dropped his smile and sighed. “I…I know that all of this came in an unexpected time, but this journey is not just for me, or Exordium.” he tightened his grip on the other, eyes meeting with his, “It’s for all of Elyxion. Please, little Jong, I can’t do this alone.”

Jongdae turned his head and wiped at the unshed tears with his sleeve, watching Xiumin gaze quietly at them with his cyan eyes. He tried to communicate with him silently, pleading the other to help him with this decision, but Xiumin’s orbs were still tinted with uncertainty, making it show that he was still wary of his brother.

But this was a nationwide conflict they’re talking about. One wrong decision would change life as they know it. If their father succeeds in controlling an army of dragons, they will be powerless to stop him and his warpath. But if he chooses to act upon it, he will have to sacrifice their peaceful life and put them all in danger. It doesn’t matter if he chooses one or the other; they both have dire consequences that he couldn’t avoid, no matter how hard he tries. There was only one thing he can do now.

If he’s the one who put them all in this mess, he’ll be the one who will get them out.
    
    
    __()__
    /______\
    __/  \__
    \_ 🔥 _/
    /_N_\
    {_____}

The town had been bustling with people getting ready for the night when Minseok and Chen decided to stop by the town square to wait for the duo to return from their heart-to-heart, but after the last shop had shut its doors and the rangers had made their finals rounds around town, they still haven’t returned.

“Maybe Xiumin had thrown Dae off the cliff.” Minseok tried to joke, but even he wasn’t sure if what he said was a gag or not. Knowing the love-hate relationship of his Soulmate and his dragon, something like that happening wasn’t off the list yet.

Chen took one glance at the moon rising above them and the empty dirt trail once more before he took Minseok’s pant fabric between his teeth and started tugging, a muffled chirp gurgling out of his occupied jaw.

“I know, Chen. I know,” Minseok assured, “Just a few more minutes, then we can…”

The woodcutter trailed off when the thunder beast abruptly let go of his pants and bolted towards the tree line that was adjacent to the path, his shock only enhancing when an ivory-scaled dragon jumped out from the darkness and barreled softly into Chen. Xiumin rubbed his head under the other’s chin as they coiled their tails together, happy rumbles coming from their throats now that they were together again.

Minseok released a breath he didn’t know was holding before rushing over to Jongdae, the latter looking like he had a mental breakdown in the forest, eyes puffy and all. The blonde man still managed to smile at the other, but Minseok wasn’t having it. Slapping Jongdae’s shoulder playfully, the other let out a hiss and a pout.

“Minnie! That hurt!”

“Well, you should stop making me worry so much! Do you know what time it is?” Minseok scolded, before gently cupping the other’s face with his hand as he looked at him with concern, “What happened back there? It’s obvious that you’ve been crying.”

Jongdae stiffened at the accusation but willed himself to relax as Minseok wrapped his arms around him in an embrace, “I…just had a little squabble with Xiumin…nothing to serious, I swear.”

The woodcutter turned to the dragon in question, but he seemed to be staring intently at Jongdae, his expression contorted in a...frown? He almost looked disappointed. It was probably more than a “little squabble” like his Soulmate had mentioned, but he knew his lover would tell him eventually, hopefully.

“Min?”

The other hummed in response, burying his nose deeper into Jongdae’s neck to relish in his warmth.

“What do you say we go back to your hometown?”

  


  


_Meanwhile, watching in silence under the cover of the night…_

“Phase one complete, Charles. Let’s tell our king that the prince is right on track.”

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kneel before the prince, peasants!
> 
> As much as I would like to do double updates every week, online classes are eating me alive right now XD But here's another one cuz I love this fic so much! Feedback is appreciated!


	5. Danger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoo! What do you mean I missed last week's update? Welp, here ya go! 
> 
> Oh also, STREAM CANDY YA PEASANTS!!

Minseok was ecstatic when the first snowflake dropped from above.

He hadn’t anticipated it, considering that he was walking right next to Xiumin, brushing off the coldness in the air as the dragon’s average body temperature. Thus, it had completely taken him by surprise when a flurry of cold, white dots started descending from the sky, showering the grass and evergreen trees with a thin layer of sleet that will soon pile up overnight.

Chen was the first one to react, leaping in the air happily to snap at the falling specks of snow before flapping his wings to form a tornado to catch all of the snowflakes in the radius. And just before the twister would fully develop, Chen would barrel straight into his creation before doing it all over again with just as much excitement he had the first time.

“This is…wow.”

Minseok glanced over to the side where his Soulmate was watching the sky with wide, sparkling eyes, one hand outstretched in an attempt to gather up the snowflakes that landed on his palm. The blonde man had been like this ever since they crossed the Northern border and ventured into the kingdom of Exodus by foot, given that Chen still wasn’t used to flying with Minseok on his back and Xiumin, well, you know their case.

But going back to Jongdae, he was very keen on exploring everything the kingdom has to offer. Minseok has seen him gawking at things from the oddly-shaped pine and its prickly leaves to the native cabbage broths Minseok had regularly eaten for almost his whole life. It was a culture shock to the young man, but not an unwelcome one. Minseok was thoroughly amused at how the other was able to look at every single thing with infinite wonder, even on the more commonly seen like the woolen cows and curled roofs of the houses.

“Don’t tell me you’ve never seen snow before,” Minseok teased, poking his Soulmate’s cold cheek to catch his attention.

“It’s not my fault! We don’t get snow in Ex—” Jongdae suddenly cleared his throat, excusing it as a product of the frigid atmosphere, “I mean, our kingdom before. Plus, our father doesn’t really let us go outside and play often.”

“Is that so?” Minseok thought for a moment before smiling playfully, “And why is that?”

Jongdae was taken aback by the sudden question, hiding his shock well under the mask of nervousness by fiddling with the frayed edges of his sleeve, “Well…”

“Hyung?!”

The runaway prince let out a sigh of relief when the woodcutter turned his focus from him to the sudden shout in the distance. _Sooner may be better than later_ , he thought, but he’s determined to make sooner turn into a never. What would his Minseok feel about him if he knew that his Soulmate is a part of a long line of tyrants and dictators? He would never look at Jongdae the same way again.

The prince shivered at the thought of a disappointed Minseok once he knew the truth. He had really fallen hard, hadn’t he?

Glancing over to his side, Jongdae felt panic blooming from his chest when he realized that his lover was nowhere to be found. He whipped his head around, and the fear soon turned into a bolt of jealousy when he saw Minseok farther up on the path they were following to his village, tightly hugging a man who seemed to be the same age as him.

_He’s probably just a friend, Jongdae. No need to show off your very threatening glare._

Shaking his head to get rid of his narrowed eyes, he set a hand on Xiumin’s wing before stiffly walking towards the embracing duo. Fortunately enough, he didn’t have to catch their attention since the stranger had noticed his presence first and pulled away from the woodcutter, but still kept a close distance, much to Jongdae’s chagrin. Squinting his eyes for a bit, the boy didn’t have any recognition on who Jongdae was before he gasped, looking over to Minseok with wide eyes.

“Is he your Soulmate, Min?” He squinted yet again, “He looks familiar, but I can’t seem to put my finger on it…”

Jongdae swallowed anxiously, “I’m afraid you’ve mistaken me for someone else. It’s is my first time coming here.”

“Myeonnie! Don’t scare my Soulmate like that!” Minseok scolded, lightly punching the other’s arm, “You’ve probably seen him from those funny scriptures you read. All of the pictures there are exactly the same!”

“They are not!” ‘Myeonnie’ whined, slapping Minseok’s arm before straightening himself with an embarrassed cough once he remembered that Jongdae was still watching them. Extending his hand towards the stranger, he gave a shy smile, “Sorry about that. I’m Kim Junmyeon, resident scholar of Exodus village.”

“Scholar?” Jongdae questioned, “Does that mean you study about, you know, people and stuff?”

Junmyeon chuckled as he nodded, “Yes, among other topics. I mostly specialize in dragons and their origins.”

An idea bloomed in the prince’s mind when he heard Junmyeon’s answer. If he’s learning about their origins, then he should have some idea about the locations of the other temples in Elyxion, right? It’s undoubtedly worth a shot.

“You must know a lot about the five Templars then,” Jongdae commented, trying to steer the conversation as subtly as possible.

“I do!” The scholar’s eyes shined with excitement, “I’ll introduce you Yixing, our local Templar, then I’ll show you a map of where the temples are located after, if you want, of course.”

Jongdae grinned, “I’d love to.”

“Let’s go then! I’m sure Suho and Lay would be very happy to have new playmates!” Junmyeon chuckled as he scratched under Chen’s jaw, “Is that you, Chen? You’ve really grown a lot! If only your partner can do the same…”

“Yah!”

Wearing the biggest grin Minseok had ever seen his friend wore, Junmyeon started to guide them through the forest while examining the thunder dragon with newfound curiosity. However, it was a little challenging to keep his eyes on him, considering that the dragon was the epitome of a ball of spark. Minseok rolled his eyes as he watched the two fondly before he inched closer to Jongdae, who was still resting his hand on Xiumin’s wing.

“You haven’t spent a day here, yet you’ve stolen my best friend already.” The black-haired male snickered, “I didn’t take you to be a scholarly type, though.”

“I really am not,” Jongdae replied honestly, “But the five Templars…they seem interesting to me, that’s all.”

Minseok gave him one last curious look before thankfully dropping the topic, opting to nestle his surprisingly warm hand in Jongdae’s freezing one instead. They hurried over to the Northern Temple when the snow started to hasten their fall. The scholar said something about a blizzard heading their way, but that was later on in the night. They can’t be too sure, though.

As they were carefully ascending the temple’s slippery stone steps, this structure, unlike the last temple Jongdae had been in, was void of any cracks and vines on its grey surface, so it must have been kept with utmost care and respect by the people. The prince wondered what the Central Temple must have looked like in its former glory, though he would guess that it was similar to the building they were now entering.

Once they were safe from the upcoming snowstorm, Jongdae brushed off the snow that landed on his hair and shoulders before nearing the center, two odd royal-blue and pink lumps that he later identified as dragons sleeping inside the circular pool. Junmyeon sheepishly smiled as he took off his cloak.

“I forgot they prefer to sleep through the winter most of the time, keep themselves warm and all that. Speaking of,” The humans neared the small door in the far corner of the temple before the scholar gently rapped his knuckles on the wood, “Yixing! We have visitors!”

Moments later, the door opened to reveal a sleepy male running a hand through his jet-black hair, snapping wake when his eyes landed on a grinning woodcutter, “Minseok? What a delight! I was just about to send you a letter!”

The two shared a brief hug before the Templar’s eyes landed on the unknown face in the room and frigid dragon right beside him, “And who may you be?”

“Kim Jongdae, Minseok’s Soulmate.” The blonde man bowed, “It’s an honor to meet you, Templar Yixing.”

“Just Yixing is alright. Titles make me feel old.” The dimpled man waved him off, turning to the lovers with a small smile, “How’re the snappers? You two got quite a case on your hands from when I summoned Chen.”

“They’re doing fine, Xing.” Minseok replied, glancing at the thunder dragon that was trying to drape itself on the two sleeping dragons, “Though we’ve come to notice that they reflect our Soulmate’s personality rather than our own.”

Yixing hummed, leaning on the doorframe as he exchanged knowing looks with Junmyeon, “We, too, have done our fair share of research. Come, I must show you something.”
    
    
    ___()___
    /________\
    ||_||_||
    ||_🔥_||
    ||_||_||
    [_______]

“Lanterns are objects that lack logical reason.”

Yixing brushed his index finger over the shelf to check for dust, “But in a world where flying beasts appear from thin air using colored fire, is there any logic to begin with?”

Minseok had followed the Templar to a small room hidden at the very back of the temple, whereas Junmyeon and Jongdae stayed back in the quarters where Yixing was sleeping in to discuss the five Templars amongst other things. In all honesty, Minseok was curious about why his Soulmate chose that over an explanation on their dragons’ behaviors, but he must have a good reason, right?

“Here is where I put all the lost and forgotten.” Yixing began as he picked up a dimly lit lamp, rust starting to form along its edges, “Lanterns of people who passed before they get their Flame, and a few that were found lying around Exodus.”

The woodcutter gazed at the lamps of all shapes and sizes neatly lining the wooden shelves, some having dim monochromatic lights while others were unlit. Squinting at the lantern closest to him, Minseok can spot the burnt residue of the wick, meaning that it had been some time ago when it was put out.

Minseok shivered. Two years was a very long wait, but at least he got his Soulmate in the end. He couldn’t possibly think of what these people have gone through. His thoughts turned to what Jongdae shared with him about the ban in Exordium, where thousands of people can never meet their other halves because of a selfish king’s law. All those people who lived their lives without their Soulmate…they haven’t lived life at all.

“We all know that these things hold the Flame that summons your dragons.” The sound of Yixing’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts, “But we have discovered that it’s the lantern that determines _which_ dragon you’ll receive.”

Minseok turned and gawked at the dimpled male, “So that means our lanterns had been switched?!”

“Most likely.” Yixing shrugged aloofly, pausing place the lamp back on the shelf. “There is not much information about the lanterns’ mystical abilities or how they get the Flames in the first place, but we do know that they are made by experts that came from a certain family lineage that was gifted by the gods. We call them Lantern-makers.”

“Just like Dae’s uncle.” Minseok muttered, making Yixing pause and stare at him confusedly for a second before the former smiled sheepishly, “Sorry, please carry on.”

“These Lantern-makers create the objects on request, so that means every lamp is made specifically for someone.” Yixing continued, “You can’t get your Flame if you don’t have your lantern, much less summon your dragon with someone else’s lamp.”

“Your theory would explain the second one, but how would I have gotten my Flame with Dae’s lantern?” the ebony-haired male sighed, leaning on the wall as he pinched the bridge of his nose, “This has gotten a lot more complicated than I would have liked it to be.”

His words brought a chuckle from the stoic-faced man beside him, “The only viable answer would be that both of your lanterns were made at the same time, but most Lantern-makers avoided doing that to prevent, well, _this_ from happening.”

More questions were revealed instead of the answers Minseok was looking for, but at least he has gotten the ‘ _Why?’_ part down. Now he just has to figure out the ‘ _How?’._

“Fate is a fickle thing, Seok. I think it’s best if we just leave this be—”

Muffled roars abruptly sounded from outside the small room, effectively cutting off what Yixing was about to say as he suddenly turned and opened the door, leaving Minseok to trail behind him in cluelessly. Screeches and snarls suddenly filled the silent hallway, some of which Minseok had identified were Chen’s, making the woodcutter’s confusion transform into worry.

“What’s happening, Xing?” Minseok panted out as he tried to catch up with the taller’s long strides

“Someone unwanted is here.” Yixing replied, quickening his pace further as a groan echoed off the walls, “The dragons won’t normally act like this unless-”

As soon as they arrived, they were suddenly hit by the pungent smell of ozone and burning wire, making them both recoil and fan at the air in front of them. Suho and Xiumin had firmly shut the imposing doors of the temple with a wooden beam as loud banging noise sounded from the other side of the thick wood, the latter having an arrow embedded painfully on his tail. Surprisingly, Xiumin didn’t look as if he was in pain, too focused on the dull thumps resonating behind the closed door.

Meanwhile, Chen was growling and baring his sharp teeth threateningly at the singed black figures that were unmoving on the ground as lightning coiled around his head like a crown, the dragon most likely being the creator of the awful smell. Lastly, in the far corner of the room, Lay has coiled around protectively around a shaken Junmyeon and a sickly pale Jongdae, his massive wings covering them like a thick blanket. Minseok and Yixing had wasted no time sprinting towards the pink dragon and their Soulmates.

“What happened here?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now the real fun begins!


	6. Loyalty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha! You thought you seen the last of me? Nay!
> 
> Since it was my birthday yesterday, here's a gift from me to you!

“And what could I be of service of, your majesty?”

Jongdae drew a sharp intake of breath, his grip on the doorknob tightening considerably as his posture had gone rigid. Even if his back was turned towards the other male, he knew that the other had an inquiring stare that burned the nape of his neck. Slowly letting out an exhale, Jongdae tried to play clueless.

“Pardon?” He turned around with a small grin, “As I said, you really must have mistaken me—”

“I do not forget faces that easily, dear prince.” Junmyeon swiftly cut off, “As _I_ said, I am a scholar.”

Jongdae's grin turned into a grimace, “So you are, but you may need to set your facts straight. I am not a prince anymore; I am just a nobody.”

“Oh, but blood is a difficult thing to part with.” The scholar nonchalantly spoke as he arranged a few papers on the oak table on the side, “But if you insist, it won’t come up again in our future discussions.”

“Thank you.” Jongdae breathed out a sigh of relief, before looking back at the man, “You’re not going to tell Minseok, are you?”

Junmyeon paused his actions to give a look that told Jongdae, “ _You hadn’t told him yet?”_ before he shrugged, resuming on folding and placing pieces of papers together on the flat surface.

“It’s not in my place to.” He finally said, “But a false brick can easily bring down a fortress. You need to tell him eventually.”

“Easy for you to say. You’re not the heir of tyrants.” Jongdae sighed, leaning against the door to keep himself upright, “Look, I’ll think about it. Just…don’t tell anyone, please?”

Junmyeon observed the blonde male once more before nodding firmly, “You have my word.”

Once the scholar's movements ceased, he waved a reluctant Jongdae over with a genuine smile. On the table was a large map of Elyxion with a few legends and notes scribbled on the edges of the frayed papers, everything detailed with a capital D. The prince couldn’t help but gape at the map in front of him, making Junmyeon’s grin widen.

“This took forever to make, but it was worth it.” He stated, smoothing out the creased edges of the parchment, “Now, you wanted to know about the Templars?”

Jongdae nods firmly, “I need to know where to find them.”

Junmyeon hummed, “While I do update this frequently, it doesn’t act as a real-time tracker for the people who you are seeking.” After pausing for a moment to squint closer at the map, he continued, “But I may be able to give you an approximation of places where they were last seen.”

After opening up a leather-bound book placed on his lap, Junmyeon began to scan through it with his finger as he picked up a piece of sharpened charcoal from the side. He then began to skillfully outline a few areas from three different kingdoms all whilst keeping his eyes on what he was reading. Jongdae was amazed at his efficient multitasking, knowing that it must have taken the scholar years to perfect his craft. But amongst the astonishment, the prince mentally sighed, for he knew that Junmyeon knowing his status was inevitable. It would be an insult to everything the scholar worked hard for if he couldn't remember the infamous Exordium heir's face.

After deeming his work satisfactory, Junmyeon sets down the book before pointing to the West kingdom that had an outline in the middle of a city, the chalky, black lines standing out on the yellowed paper, “This is where Jongin is. He's Black Pearl's Templar, and his partner’s name is Kai. Quite an intimidating pair when I first met them, but they’re very playful once you get to know them.”

Moving farther down South, a few inches away from the main kingdom, Junmyeon’s finger stopped at a cluster of trees and mountains that were encircled neatly, “Kyungsoo resides deep within the dense forest neighboring Exoluxion with Dyo, his dragon. Although his stoic demeanor and natural glare may seem a little threatening at times, he’s actually Kai’s Soulmate, and they are _very_ adorable together…but not as cute as Xing and me, of course.”

The brunette snickered a little to himself before gesturing to a few small dots littering the villages in the East, “This is where I last saw Baekhyun and Chanyeol, within El Dorado’s vicinity. I’m guessing that one of them secretly summoned your dragon now that Exordium had…you know.”

Jongdae only nods silently in reply. Looking closely at the map, it seems that they could travel to the west and get to Jongin first before going to Kyungsoo, then Baekhyun and Chanyeol. The blonde male felt even more confident now that they can get to all four Templars without passing through Exordium and its neighboring villages since there was a lesser chance he can be recognized and suddenly get outed in front of his Soulmate. _That_ would be a royal mess.

“You may be able to travel to all three kingdoms within a moon cycle if you ride on a horse’s back,” Junmyeon clasped his hands with a smile, “Two weeks on a dragon’s.”

Jongdae internally groaned, fighting against rolling his eyes in case the scholar misunderstands, yet the other male must have picked up on his sour mood and questioned the grimacing prince. Tired of keeping everything to himself, Jongdae began to narrate all the happenings starting from Xiumin’s summoning to the dragon’s apparent mistrust towards him.

“Now more than a year has passed and I still can’t _get_ it, you know?” Jongdae sighed as he buried his head in his hands, “Maybe once Minseok and Yixing return, they’ll know how to switch our partners or something.”

“No! You absolutely _cannot_ do that.” Junmyeon suddenly snaps, making Jongdae startle and look up as the brunette folded his arms sternly over his chest, “Your dragon is your partner for _life_. Even if their personality doesn’t match yours, they are loyal to you and only you, as you should be to them.”

“But what about everything I just told you?” Jongdae argues, “That isn’t what I call being loyal.”

“And that’s where their main purpose comes to play.” The scholar quickly responds, grabbing a book from the side before swiftly turning the pages, “Aha! Here it is. As great philosopher MAMA stated, “The dragon’s goal is to bring you and your Soulmate together and keep both of you as one. They will act upon anything that threatens their purpose accordingly”.”

“But why would he act out now? Minseok and I are still going strong, and nothing is threatening to tear us apart.” The prince said with finality, “Look, I appreciate your help and advice, but what you’re saying really isn’t making sense.”

Junmyeon stared at the blonde boy for a few moments before he sighed, closing the book before returning it to the side. The silence went on for a minute or two, with the only noise being the soft rustle of papers getting folded back together before the scholar finally spoke.

“Now that I have satiated your curiosity, it’s time for you to do the same.” Junmyeon turned to him, “Why do you need to the locations of the other Templars?”

Jongdae pursed his lips, a little hesitant on touching on the topic in case Junmyeon would suddenly blame him for being part of the plot. Still, after their conversation beforehand, it didn’t seem like the other male was the type of person to accuse people based on their background blindly.

Taking a deep breath, Jongdae began narrating everything that was said to him by his brother; every single detail was not left unchecked. His mind flitted momentarily to Jongdeok, who he had last seen riding off into the distance in search of a safe haven and more people to join his cause and rally against their father, and he prays to the heavens that his brother hadn’t run into more trouble.

But going back to the topic at hand, he figured that getting the scholar’s help would be very beneficial since he should know where the Templars usually were in their kingdoms. What worried him, however, was the more he continued, the paler Junmyeon became.

“So that means those people are storming here at any moment.” He gasped out, “Jongdae, Exordian soldiers were spotted scouting near the border yesterday! That means—”

A loud bang followed by a series of snarls coming from outside had finished his thought.

Jongdae hadn’t realized he was being pulled out of the room by a panicked Junmyeon until they were outside the Templar’s quarters, currently facing an open door with men clad in dark clothing started pouring in. However, they were hesitant in doing so when they realized that they were face-to-face with four alert and growling dragons.

Silence filled the area; the two parties were waiting on each other to see who will make the first move. A quick scan of the Exordian soldiers’ armaments had eased Jongdae quite a bit, considering that none of them had anything that could do lasting damages to their partners, but he failed to see one of the weapons pointing right at him until it was too late.

The sound of a projectile getting shot out of the crossbow was too sudden for the human to make a move, but not for a dragon.

Just before the army men began to rejoice at the assassination, Xiumin’s tail swiftly moved in front of the arrow’s trajectory and the pointed metal lodged itself in between his scales, garnering a deep roar from the frosty beast. Jongdae was taken aback. Even with his mistrust and stubbornness, Xiumin still took a blow for him?

“Xiumin!” The prince cried, trying to claw his way out of Junmyeon’s iron grip on him, “Get out of there!”

But in a hard-headed Xiumin-ly fashion, the frost dragon jumped right in front of the perpetrators as the rest of the bowmen aimed their weapons at the two humans, using his tank-like body to barrel into them and disrupt their aim. This prompted Chen to let out an aggressive snarl before he launched himself right in the middle of the army, teeth bared and claws out.

“Get the Templar! There!”

Shouts and curses filled the temple as the rest of the men slowly trickled in, a few managing to evade the rampaging dragons and were now heading straight for them. This greatly alarmed Jongdae as he started dragging the scholar away from the advancing men that thought the latter was the famed Templar, but Junmyeon held his ground steadfastly. He can hear the brunette’s voice trying to reason with him, but it was ultimately drowned out by the loud growls and shrieks from the men.

Jongdae was about to shout back at the stupidly brave man when something odd was picked up by his nose; something metallic and pungent, like burning wire. Before Jongdae could even pinpoint what the smell was, a massive pink blur knocked away the men that were trying to reach them before it had pounced on them as well. Pale fuchsia wings covered their small figures and kept them close to the arrowhead-like scales of the dragon’s sides before they heard it.

_Thunder._

A brief flash of light sparked from outside Lay’s wings, followed by another and then another, thunderous sounds rolling in between the peculiar display of luminescence. Before Jongdae knew it, the webby limbs that were keeping a protective grip around him had loosened, and he slowly crawled out of the silky cocoon, marveling at the sight before him.

The metallic smell was even more prominent now, but the prince’s focus was right on the scene around him as the men that managed to get past the dragons were on the ground, countless burns and red patches marring the skin that was not covered by their dark armor. Chen was in the middle of the carnage, snapping his teeth at the slightest sound that came from the men, white and yellow sparks jumping out of his horns.

“He just—Chen did—wow.” Junmyeon rubbed his eyes to make sure he didn’t imagine it, “I can’t believe it.”

And the rest of the soldiers couldn’t either, for the ones who weren’t hit by Chen’s attack are all standing frozen before the entrance, eyes flitting frightenedly at their fallen comrades. Fortunately, this gave Suho and Xiumin enough time to slam the door at their face, barring it with a thick wooden plank.

“What happened here?!”

Turning towards the owner of the voice, the scholar and the prince almost cried in relief once they saw their Soulmates safe and sound, even though they were the ones who saw the actual onslaught of the army. Sprinting towards the two shaken individuals, the Templar and the woodcutter embraced their lovers like their lives depended on it.

“This place looks like a battlefield.” Yixing comments, planting a quick peck on Junmyeon’s head as he began checking for any wounds, “You didn’t get hurt, did you?”

“No, no, the dragons took care of them.” Junmyeon waved him off before he started to drag him towards the side of the temple where the hidden exit was, urging the other pair to follow, “We need to get out of here. Now.”

Their lives had gone from zero to a hundred very quickly and his hidden status might put all of them in danger, especially Minseok. He knew that Exordians soldiers were trained to be heartless monsters who didn’t care if innocent people get caught in the crossfire as long as they achieve their goal. Clasping his hand tightly around the Minseok’s, he silently vows to protect his Soulmate, even if it costs him his own life. Minseok had opened his mouth to ask, but Jongdae had beat him to it.

“They’re soldiers from Exordium.” Jongdae began, “They’re here to retrieve the Templar of the North on the king’s order, but fortunately, we got here before them.”

“What?” Yixing furrowed his brows, “Why would they want me?”

“It’s all part of the Exordium King’s plan for world domination,” Junmyeon answered, pressing a loose stone on the wall that caused the floor to collapse and reveal a dark tunnel

“The king is planning to get all five Templars together so they can summon all the dragons to follow his command.” The prince finished with a frown, “Luckily, we got here just in time to warn you all.”

A thought suddenly dawned on Minseok as he stopped on his tracks, “Wait, so this whole time, you knew about this? Is this why you were so keen on visiting my hometown?”

Jongdae flinched a little, yet he still tugged on Minseok’s arm to keep him moving, “Not now, Minnie. I’ll explain after we’re out of harm’s way, I promise.”

Minseok frowned, biting the inside of his cheeks in apprehension, but finally complied as soon as they heard the great doors starting to splinter under the soldiers’ assault. All of them whistled for their dragons before they began to descend down the dark tunnel, the four beasts soon following after.

When they reached the end of the tunnel, the outside was another obstacle on its own. The heavy snowfall was not only weighing the group down but made it almost impossible to see as well. But on the bright side, at least they can hide better from the soldiers.

Rapid footsteps echoed in the tunnel behind them, and they knew that there was no time to lose. Holding onto Minseok as tightly as he could, Jongdae pushed through the small pellets of snow that were mercilessly beating against his head and back, trying his best not to topple over as the wind started billowing from all sides.

The prince felt like he was breathing in knives at some point, pulling his shirt over his mouth and nose in an attempt to lessen the painful feeling. Unlike, the others, who practically lived here all their lives and had grown thick skin to bear the frigid weather, he was like a fragile leaf that was getting tussled by the unforgiving gale, which in a sense, wasn’t too far off.

“Here! Get on your partners! Now!”

Jongdae wasn’t sure if he heard Yixing correctly or if that was just a hallucination created by his rapidly freezing system, but based on Minseok’s terrified expression aimed towards him, it was most likely the former. They had entered a cluster of pine trees, dampening the snowfall a bit and making it easier to see and breathe, much to the delight of the prince. But the relief was suddenly diminished when he saw where they were heading.

“It’s a drop!” Junmyeon cried, already on Suho’s back, “This is our only way out! Now get on your dragons!!”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Jongdae waved at Chen to come to their side before forcing his Soulmate on his back, ignoring all his pleas of getting on with him.

“Chen can’t go airborne with both of us in this weather!” The blonde man reasons, planting a kiss on the other’s freezing knuckles, “I’ll meet you in the skies! Now go!”

The thunder dragon cawed before starting to speed up, preparing himself for the takeoff. Jongdae smiled softly before picking up the pace as well, panting as he craned his neck around to see where his partner was, to no avail. It was either he was blending in perfectly with the environment, or he had ditched him and flew off first. Going back to his conversation with Junmyeon, he prays to all the deities that Xiumin’s loyalty has not wavered.

The wind was whistling sharply in his ears as dark spots were slowly consuming his vision, his only warning that he was going to pass out at any moment. Letting out an exhausted cry, he sprinted faster towards the edge, briefly marveling at how beautiful Minseok looked on Chen as they took off with the others.

He hopes he can do the same.

Jongdae provided himself no time to rethink his actions before leaping off the cliff, the unforgiving snowfall not giving him at least a second of reprieve before it started forcing him down to his untimely end. His body started shutting down from the shock of the snow suddenly seeping into his bones once again, and maybe it was for the best. After all, he was dreading to feel the harsh impact of the ground, so fainting was probably the world’s last gift to him.

He didn’t know whether the coldness pressing against his cheeks was from the blizzard or his freefall, or if the screaming voice was from his Soulmate or himself, but he braved all odds to open his eyes once more to see three colorful blotches in the distance getting smaller and smaller until the white sleet covered their hues completely.

What a lovely image.

His vision had gone black just before he felt sharp claws suddenly clutch his shoulders, a concerned _krrooo…_ being the last thing he heard before succumbing to the darkness.
    
    
    ___|`|___
    \_______/
    (     )
    ) 🔥 (
    (__N__)
    [______]
    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why doesn't Xiumin fully trust Jongdae yet? Hmm...


	7. A Little Rest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back!
> 
> Online classes are a big dumb, but at least it's ending tomorrow! Wahhoo! I'll probably get another chapter up by the end of the week, but no promises! >.<

Jongdae had fainted only twice in his entire life.

Both of them were from his combat practice, back when he didn't know much about the stances and blocks enough to keep himself upright and safe from the onslaught of attacks his mentor gave him on the first week of lessons. He had been joyful that he was finally granted a break from all his studies about literature and arithmetic, but by the end of the initial warm-up exercises, he preferred reading about dead kings and fallen kingdoms than this torture.

Don’t get him wrong, Jongdae was a fit teen back then. Sure, he wasn’t one to exercise every morning, and he _may_ have sneaked into the royal kitchens to take a few goodies from the kind chefs more often than not (he was allowed to! Well, by the chefs anyway). But he is able to hold his ground during the playfights he and his brother would partake in whenever a few disagreements arose. Surely that was enough to keep him upright during the lessons, right?

Well…

The first time he fainted was from a nasty blow to the head while the other was from sheer exhaustion. Both times he found himself waking up on the cold hard floor of the training grounds, his maids waiting nervously in the sidelines for him to wake up before helping him back to his room, as per strict order from his wonderful father. In all honesty, it was surprising to hear the man wanting to conquer Elyxion after hearing that he was relatively satisfied with holding Exordium in his iron fist the last time Jongdae saw him. Still, the power must have gone to his head and drove him mad, like all of the rulers and tyrants before him. 

But anyway, the prince found himself tallying another one on the fainting scale, yet he hadn’t felt like he was lying on a flat rocky surface, quite the contrary actually.

For the first few minutes of coming to, he just laid there, relishing on the softness of whatever he was on. Then all the memories hit him like a raging bull, making him sit up with a gasp. He wasn't dead, was he? Why is everything so dark? Why do his shoulders ache so much? Hands suddenly appeared from nowhere, pushing at his bandaged chest and making him startle and flail. He wasn't going to let Death take his soul!

“Dae! It’s only me.” A familiar voice suddenly spoke, “It would also help if you open your eyes, love.”

Opening his eyes took a bit more effort than he would have liked, but everything became worth it when Minseok’s stunning face was the first thing he sees, even though his gummy smile was replaced with a concerned frown. Eyes swiftly moving around to gather as much information on their environment, they seem to be in a small but cozy room, making him ease up a little knowing that the Exordian soldiers hadn’t captured them yet.

There was nothing much in the room apart from the small table and chair in the far corner, the single bed and, well, them. Looking back at Minseok, Jongdae winced as he had expected a rather lengthy scolding for his brash actions, and his Soulmate had delivered, though a few kisses were mixed in between the chiding tone and apologies, much to Jongdae's delight.

“You’re a stupid idiot!” Minseok huffed as he sat down on the side of the bed and crossed his arms against his chest, “I shouldn’t even be looking at you right now!”

“Aww, at least I’m your idiot, babe.” Jongdae winked, earning a hard blow to the ribs that took his breath away if his laughter hadn’t already

“When have you gotten this coy?” the dark-haired male responded, trying his best hide his giggles under his frown, “Perhaps you’ve inhaled a little too much snow.”

Jongdae hummed, reaching over to grasp the other’s hand before relishing in the warmth. Speaking of snow, he could still feel the residual chill beneath his skin from the terrible blizzard in Exodus, but at least they were finally out of harm’s way. He would streak through the hail and ice anytime if it meant his Soulmate wouldn’t have to.

“I think it’s the adrenaline.” The prince responded, before his eyes widened once again, “Where’s Xiumin? Where are we?”

Minseok tutted, his other hand softly pushing the blonde male back down on the bed, "Relax, you should still be resting. We're just outside the Western border, Xiumin's in the stable with the others after getting his tail patched up. And no, you can't go out just yet."

Jongdae pouted, “I wasn’t going to anyway.”

“Of course, you weren’t.” Minseok rolled his eyes before standing up, “Get some sleep. I’ll take the floor.”

“No!” The prince cried out, grasping his lover’s hand tightly, “Sleep with me, please.”

“You’re exhausted, Dae. It’ll be much more comfortable if it’s only you there.”

"No, it won't." Jongdae whined, "Get on here before I get up and drag you in here myself."

“You can’t even stand up.” Minseok points out

Instead of a verbal response, the prince quietly tugs at his hand with a sad frown marring his features. The woodcutter didn't want to admit it, but Jongdae held more power over him even if he was stuck on bed rest. With a faux-sigh of defeat, he slowly crawled under the fleece blanket before nestling in Jongdae's chest, the latter's arm snaking around his small form before he buried his nose in the other's ebony hair.

He can get used to this.
    
    
    ___()___
    /________\
    \/\/\/\/\/
    \/\🔥/\/
    \/\/\/
    ‾‾‾‾‾

Minseok was used to waking up with sunlight shining directly at his eyes, and when he opened his eyes and saw Jongdae’s sleeping face, he wasn’t too far off. Staring at his lover with eyes still laced with sleep, his semi-consciousness only enhancing his admiration towards the other, from his wavy blonde hair to his prominent Adam’s apple.

Shifting his gaze to his lover's bare chest, the woodcutter's smile drooped a little as he surveyed the bandages that were wrapped around his shoulders and biceps. Xiumin must have gripped him a little too hard as they made their escape from Exodus, but he knows he doesn't mean any harm, even if he's a little cold towards his partner. Well, based on Jongdae and his narrations, of course.

He’s never had any problem with Chen, besides the cheekiness and his limitless energy. Sure, he can be a bit much sometimes, but the thunder dragon has followed most of his orders and would not hesitate to protect him with his life, even his protective instincts had driven him to get hurt every once and a while.

Minseok hummed, his train of thought ultimately leading him to a rather odd question. If Jongdae mirrors Chen's personality, would his Soulmate be just as protective as the dragon is?

He pondered a little more on the thought as he shifted closer to the other. Jongdae, with a sleepy hum, wrapped his arm tighter around the elder's midsection and mumbled a few inaudible words before dozing off once more. His actions sent Minseok into a fit of giggles that he tried his best to tone down into soft shaking of his shoulders. Nothing could ever be more perfect than this moment.

“Hmm…Minnie…?”

Minseok’s lips broke out into a grin, “Good morning, sleepyhead. How’re you holding up?”

The woodcutter expected a sleepy whine, an adorable pout if he was lucky, but he didn't expect Jongdae's lips suddenly connecting with his. It lasted for a good few seconds, but it was enough to render him breathless, with Jongdae pulling away with his signature feline smile plastered on his face.

“Better. You?”

Minseok huffed, scrunching up his nose cutely before curling into his lover's bare chest to hide the blush creeping up his neck and his cheeks. Even after a year of being together, Minseok was still getting used to the loving glances and intimate touches. He's still waiting for the moment where everything suddenly dissolves, and he wakes up from the strangest but most fulfilling dream he ever had, his unlit lantern still hanging from his roof.

But after the moment passes, the ebony-haired male will realize that none of it was a dream and that his Soulmate is right there in front of him, waiting for the other to uncurl from his chest and pepper his face with morning kisses.

And so he did.

Swiftly placing himself above the younger, he made sure to cover every single inch of skin from his hairline to his jaw before capturing Jongdae's lips in his own, feeling the latter's arms snake behind his neck and deepen the kiss with just as much vigor. All his worries from the night before begin to melt away from his mind as his focus was on nothing else but his Soulmate and his fluttering touches. What an excellent start to the day.

“Hey guys, breakfast is—OH FUCK SORRY!”

Minseok jolted before pulling away, attempting to scramble off the other, which resulted in his legs getting tangled in the blanket and him falling off the single bed. Raising his head from the cold hardwood floor, he could see Junmyeon hesitantly peeking out of the doorframe, most likely trying to deduce if they were doing any…questionable deeds.

“I uh, there, uh…” Junmyeon squeaked, “We have breakfast downstairs okay bye!”

He then slammed the door loudly enough that the innkeepers would probably complain, but not before a very audible ‘I’ll just tell Yixing they’ll be late’ and the sound of footsteps leaving the vicinity. With a groan, Minseok set his head down on the floor as Jongdae’s giggles permeated through the otherwise silent room.

What an excellent start to the day indeed.
    
    
    ___()___
    /________\
    \/\/\/\/\/
    \/\🔥/\/
    \/\/\/
    ‾‾‾‾‾

“I hope you didn’t dirty the bandages, Seokkie!”

Minseok stumbles over the steps of the staircase at the sudden remark, almost losing his balance if it weren't for Jongdae's fast reflexes kicking in as his hand shot out and tightly gripped the other's arm. The ebony-haired male felt heat creeping up his cheeks in embarrassment not only for the exclamation but the fact that one of the innkeepers was now looking at them weirdly from the receptionist table.

Goddammit, Yixing.

After muttering a thanks whilst sending a light blow to his Soulmate's ribs for teasing at his stumble, Minseok trudged towards a very bright Templar and a best friend who refused to look him in the eyes, ears still a light shade of pink. But after a few moments and with food in their system, it wasn't that hard to start a conversation to bring Jongdae up to speed. They recalled their escape flight out of the forest and his stupidly brave leap of faith off the cliff before they shared their idle chatter and anxiety-filled bantering once the blizzard ceased.

“…And then we exited Exodus’s border,” Yixing finished, pausing to take a sip from his mug, “What I found the most endearing was the fact that even after we escaped the blizzard, Xiumin still refused to release you from his hold.”

"It was quite a sight, actually." Junmyeon added, chuckling, "It almost sent the three of us in a heart attack when you and Xiumin suddenly drooped, and so we landed near this village, and Yixing found out that the arrow that was in Xiumin's tail was torn out mid-flight."

The blonde male suddenly went rigid, setting the half-eaten bacon back down on his plate with a frown on his face as Minseok placed a comforting hand on his thigh. Truth be told, Minseok had nearly dismounted Chen when he had seen the frost dragon stutter in his flight and began slowly descending. But thankfully, his actions had definitely alerted Chen as the latter began to veer back towards Xiumin and guide him cautiously towards the ground.

When they had safely touched down, the woodcutter being a bit more disoriented as it was his first-ever flight with Chen, they saw that the arrow wound on the side of Xiumin’s tail had been ripped open so much that it was the size of a forearm. It was bleeding profusely and staining his pristine-white scales, but nonetheless, the dragon was still adamantly refusing to part with an unconscious Jongdae.

It took them almost ten minutes of coaxing by the humans (and Chen) before Xiumin had begrudgingly handed his partner over to Minseok and after giving him a once-over, Jongdae was relatively fine except for a few small cuts and bruises on his shoulders from Xiumin's very pointy claws. Yixing had treated the frost dragon's wound before taking care of Jongdae's injuries, but Xiumin had been constantly pacing around the stables so much that his icicle-like spikes had ripped the bandages and caused the wound to open once more. It had taken both the Templar and Junmyeon an hour to fix him up again and put him to sleep, but before then, the dragon was worriedly calling out to his partner.

“This inn doesn’t have the space for dragons inside the rooms, but Xiumin’s comfortably resting with the others in the stables.” Minseok smiled softly, “We can visit them after we’ve figured out where to go next.”

“Though we need to plan our next move very carefully,” Yixing piped in, “Exoluxion will be crawling with Exordian guards if it hasn’t already.”

“And with the addition of the soldiers that are hot on our trail, we can’t be seen leisurely strolling around.” Junmyeon opened his satchel before delicately pulling out some folded parchment, “But lucky for us, we’ve got a plan.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHHH I've never done a kiss scene before hOLY HECK! Feel free to tell me how awful it was while I go hide under my research papers and textbooks! *hides*


	8. Calm Before the Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the next one! I got it by the end of the week...err, the week after...
> 
> Enjoy!

“Don’t do anything dangerous!”

“We’ll try!” Jongdae cackled, racing away from Junmyeon and the inn with Minseok in tow

The prince looked back just in time to see the scholar shake his head fondly at them before turning towards the elder, innocently smiling as he snaked his arm around Minseok’s elbow.

“You should’ve just agreed with him, Dae." The woodcutter rolled his eyes, "Don't you complain to me if he suddenly barges into the stables before daybreak and ruins our alone time."

“It’ll add to the thrill, then.” Jongdae winked, clicking his boots on the cobblestone path, “Besides, Junmyeon’s cute when he’s flustered.”

“You’re such a deviant, you know that?” Minseok huffs, knocking him softly on the head, “We’re going to give him a heart attack one of these days.”

Jongdae let out a laugh just as they exited the alleyway from the inn to the town square, making some heads turn and look at them weirdly. Yet, the lovers paid no attention to them as they haven’t been this carefree before everything sadly went downhill in Exodus. At least they got some sort of reprieve in this place, but they still had to look out for Exordian soldiers if they want to leave unharmed.

“I never thought of this village to be this large,” Minseok muttered, standing on the tips of his toes to peek over the multitude of heads, “Crowded too.”

“We’re near Exoluxion, Min. It's population alone almost rivals the other four kingdoms combined!" Jongdae makes a big gesture with his arms to prove his point, only to slap a merchant in the face, "Oh! I'm so sorry!"

Minseok suppresses a laugh as he watches his Soulmate bow at the scrutinizing gaze of the man. The latter eyes him up and down one last time before hastily departing from the scene, leaving a red-faced Jongdae to hide behind the other in embarrassment, a muffled _“why didn’t you help me?”_ coming from elder’s shoulder.

“You deserved it.” Was Minseok’s only reply, making the younger tighten his hold on the chuckling male and bury himself deeper between his shoulder blades, “Come on, Dae, we need to get to the stables and check up on the dragons.”

Jongdae hummed, “We could, but we have all day, y’know…”

“You might have forgotten we have soldiers on our tail,” Minseok began, looking over his shoulder before immediately regretting it once he was met with an adorable pout, “Now that’s just cheating!”

In response, the blonde male wordlessly deepens his pout and scrunches his eyebrows together, his pleading eyes doing wonders to Minseok’s will of steel. It hadn’t even been a full minute before the elder sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Sorry love, but no means—”
    
    
    __o__
    /_____\
    |___|
    )   (
    ( 🔥 )  
    /==‾==\

“Noblemen and women! Step right up! My wares came from-!”

Minseok had learned some time ago how to tune out the booming voices of the vendors even if they were screaming in his ear. But the feeling over getting pushed around by other people in the streets like a school of fish caught in a net was a little less tolerable. But just as he felt like punching the next person who shoves him to the side, he takes a glance at Jongdae's wide sunshine smile, and everything was magically alright once more. Rewind, play, repeat.

Ah, love.

“Minnie! Look!” The prince gasps, pointing at a stall in the corner of the town with his half-eaten skewered barbeque, “Berries!”

“You’re going to get a stomachache at this rate.” Minseok sighs, ducking to avoid a wooden beam from smacking him in the face, “You already had three of those skewers and a slice of mutton pie earlier.”

"This won't be for me, I promise!" Jongdae protests, fiddling with the stick, "I was thinking of giving some to Xiumin as a thank you gift…"

 _I can’t argue with that now, can I?_ The woodcutter wonders before taking a step back and gesture to the stall. The prince brightens and places a saucy kiss on his Soulmate’s cheek before clasping the other’s hand in his, not giving him time to recover before he starts pulling him towards the stall.

“My friends! These are the finest drupes from Black Pearl!” The storeowner boasts as he places a few of the midnight-black beads inside a cylindrical cup, “One cup for three gold.”

"We'll take two," Minseok confirms, reaching to hand over the coins to complete the transaction once the man dropped the berries inside a small cloth pouch but was stopped by a narrow-eyed Jongdae.

“What? You don’t want to pay?” The storeowner sneered, “Then no berries for you, little man.”

“The amount’s too little to be considered as a cup.” Jongdae mused, glaring lightly at the metal cylinder, “Even the pouch isn’t as big as my fist.”

“So?” The man scoffed, “You’ve seen me measure it with this cup!”

“Mind if I take a look at it then?”

Before they could comprehend what was happening, Jongdae reaches over and grabs the empty cylindrical cup from the small hill of berries, much to the surprise and shock of Minseok and the store owner. But just as the elder was going to reprimand his Soulmate's rude behavior, the latter flashed the inside of the cup towards them.

“Just as I thought! Half of it’s filled with wax.” The prince tsked, "Shame on you. You swindle your customers into paying more for half of what you promised!"

The vendor gaped as a few more people listened in to their argument and started whispering, some even leaving the scene to call the patrolling guards. Glaring at the prince, he clenched his fists and flipped the table at the two Soulmates, hoping it distracts the onlookers enough to make an escape. But unfortunately, Jongdae already foresaw this and sidestepped in front of the man before grabbing a meaty arm, using his momentum and the man's surprise to easily twist it behind his back and send him crashing towards the ground.

The man sputtered, struggling under the other's weight, “M-my friend! Please do not take it seriously, for it’s nothing but a…a joke! Yes, just a joke.”

“Is that so?” Jongdae hummed, voice strained from his efforts on keeping him down, “I’m sure the patrol would _love_ to have a laugh, no?”
    
    
    __o__
    /_____\
    |___|
    )   (
    ( 🔥 )
    /==‾==\

“Close your mouth, Minnie, or else you’ll catch flies~”

The man in question snapped out of his daze yet opted to stare incredulously at his Soulmate, who gives him his signature cat-like smile before popping more berries into his mouth, humming in delight as he relished in the taste. It had been quite some time ago when they had reported the swindler to the patrol and had gotten two pouchfuls of berries (the ones that weren't squished by the table, of course) as a reward, but Minseok still wasn’t over Jongdae’s display of cleverness.

“Your mother must have taught you well.” He found himself commenting, but Jongdae shook his head

“My mother refuses to step foot inside the kitchens. It’s all thanks to our cook, to be honest.” The prince chuckles, “He would always say to me that my hand is my best measurer!”

A beat of silence passed before it suddenly dawned on Minseok.

"You have a cook? Normal commoners usually don't have helpers like that." The elder stops on his tracks to tilt his head at the other, "Wait a minute…commoners don't have cooks…so that means…"

Jongdae froze at his words.

 _No, it can't be. Minseok couldn't have found out from that, right?_ Jongdae internally panicked

“I can’t believe it,” Minseok whispered, “You…you…”

The prince squeezed his eyes shut as he braced for impact, “Minseok, I-I can explain—”

“You must be the son of a noble! Right?”

…

_What?_

Jongdae cracked open his eyes once more to see elder waiting for an answer, though a bit concerned at his odd reaction, “Right?”

"Well, no—wait, I-I mean, technically?" The younger squeaked, but that was enough for Minseok as he hooked his arm around his elbow and started spouting about why Jongdae didn't tell him sooner.

The prince's heart was still racing from Minseok's revelation when he suddenly felt his neck stiffen, a strange tingling sensation spreading on his nape that wouldn’t go away even if he tried to massage it with his hand.

Someone was watching them.

"I was today-years-old when I found out my Soulmate's a Blueblood." Minseok continued, oblivious to the eyes that watched their every move, "How come you've never told me? I mean, I’ve heard nobles being snobby and rude, but you aren’t! Surely your family isn’t too?”

_Oh, you have no idea…_

“We’ve had a few squabbles here and there, but not significant enough to dwell on.” Jongdae replied carefully, glancing to his left just in time to see a man turn around to inspect some wares, “I’ve cut contact with them long ago, but I think we should get going.”

The elder was confused as he started to pick up on his weird behavior, “You don’t talk with your family? Why—”

“Minseok, please.” Jongdae cut off, anxiously looking around the vicinity for any eavesdroppers, “Not now.”

Minseok pursed his lips at his gruff attitude but otherwise stayed silent. On the other hand, Jongdae felt his stomach drop at the elder’s crestfallen expression but instead focused on the nagging feeling of being watched. He could have sworn he saw someone staring at them earlier…

After a few minutes of getting shoved around by impatient men and overeager sellers, they managed to pull themselves out of the crowd and down a beaten path. A silhouette of a large building stood at the end of it, looming over the trees proudly. The trek to the end of the trail was awkwardly quiet, with none of them making much of an effort to start another conversation, but the flitting glances from both parties spoke for itself.

It wasn’t long before they were standing in front of an old wooden structure; the dragon stables, as the people call it. It was located on the far end of the place since it’s large size cannot be accommodated inside the village, and judging by the dozens of roars and screeches that can be heard echoing from inside, the village people weren’t keen on hearing them every day either.

After hurriedly inquiring multiple stable hands and caretakers of the whereabouts of their dragons, the two took off to the room to the farthest left and were instantly greeted by a multicolored dogpile—er, dragon-pile. The four dragons were neatly snuggled up against each other and had barely even noticed the two humans until Minseok knocked on the door once more, making all heads simultaneously glance up at them. Suho had been the first one to get up from the mess of wings and scales to greet the two, and the others followed excitedly. Well, all except one.

“Good afternoon to you too, Xiu.” Jongdae cordially greets the dragon, who was still hasn’t moved from the floor yet kept his eyes on his partner, “I guess you’re waiting for my thanks, hmm?”

Xiumin blinked twice at his question in response but began sniffing curiously at Jongdae once he unhooked the brown pouch from his belt and placed a few berries on his palm, the man reaching out his hand towards his partner to happily offer the small fruit.

“Thank you for—oof!”

Jongdae felt the air leave his lungs as an enormous cyan blur suddenly barreled towards him, a slobbery, sandpaper-like tongue moving over every expanse of his face before turning towards the small treats. Minseok could only watch in amusement as Xiumin took advantage of the disoriented human and downed the pouch in one go, leather, and all, before going back to his spot.

"Now, I'm starting to doubt what you've all told me." Jongdae muttered as he sat up and brushed away the hay from his hair, "Are you sure he didn't just drop me when he had the chance?"

Minseok snorts, stretching a hand towards his Soulmate to which the latter gladly took, “You wouldn’t be here, now would you?”

“True.” Jongdae hummed, “Now that we’ve checked up on these rascals, we can—”

“Finish where we left off.” Minseok gave a pointed look at the younger, “You were awfully fidgety back there.”

All color drained away from Jongdae's face as he hummed nervously, subtly eyeing Xiumin for help, but all his partner did was stare back again, albeit a little more intense as before, almost as if he was saying _“this is your chance!”_

It looks like he was on his own.

“Is that so?” The prince muttered, playing clueless as he busied himself on trailing his fingers on Xiumin’s cold spikes, “I didn’t notice.”

The woodcutter hums, moving back to lean on the wall with his arms crossed, “Something is definitely wrong, then. I know you and your mannerisms, Dae.”

“Do you really?” Jongdae snaps, “Because I really don’t want to talk about it, yet you keep on pushing me to.”

Minseok was taken aback by his Soulmate's harsh tone, his eyes staring hard into nothing as he replayed the statements over and over in his head like a broken record. He knew from the beginning that Jongdae kept secrets from him. He was fine with it, of course, since he had some of his own, but the elder never knew the younger nurtured one so close to his heart.

But as much as the little voice inside his head screamed at him to stop and diffuse the situation, Minseok knows he can’t, or rather, won’t. Whatever secret Jongdae’s hiding from him is clearly affecting himself negatively, but how can the elder offer him help when he doesn’t have a clue on what they’re up against in the first place?

After a moment of silence, the blonde male sighs and places his arms back down to his sides, “Just drop it, hyung, please.”

"And if I don't?" The elder responds, pushing himself off the wall before slowly walking towards the other male, "Listen, Jongdae. I know that you think you can handle this all by yourself, but you can't."

He reaches out to place a gentle hand on his Soulmate's shoulder, “I can help you if you just tell me—”

“It’s none of your fucking business!”

Jongdae whirls around with a hand up to slap the other's hand away from him but ended up backhanding Minseok in the process, his actions only registering in his mind when the ebony-haired male stumbles backward in a daze, one hand cupping his reddening cheek. Jongdae felt himself freeze in terror as the Minseok looked at him fearfully, the latter stepping backward as the other tried to advance towards him.

"Oh no. No, no, no..." The prince felt guilt rising in his stomach by the second, “M-Minseok, it was an accident I swear I—I’m so sorry, I-I didn’t know you were that close I—”

A timid knock suddenly echoed through from doors before it was slightly opened, a small voice sounding from behind it.

"E-excuse me? Someone's looking for a Kim Jongdae. They say they have a message from his brother, a-and it's very urgent."

The door was quickly shut, and they were left in silence once more, one frozen in horror while the other remained unmoving with his head bowed.

“Minseok, I—”

“No, it’s fine.” The shorter male turned around so that his back was facing the other, voice quivering, “Y-you should get going. Urgent and all…”

“Min—”

“Jongdae,” Minseok’s voice was firmer, “Go.”

The elder waited until he heard the door finally open and shut, and it was at that moment did his legs give out underneath him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You thought it will just be fluff! HAH, nay!
> 
> Super sorry for the late update and the mistakes in this chapter! Things are hectic here now that there's a confirmed case just across our street and I've begun to feel a bit feverish two days ago, but hopefully, it's not what I think it is ><
> 
> Stay safe out there peeps!


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